Fairwork Annual Report 2023: State of the Global Platform Economy

2023 has been a year of both consolidation and crisis in the platform economy. Most significantly, pressures in international markets have created challenging conditions for platform companies that all too often are passed down to workers in the form of declining pay, worsening conditions, and management standards at work.

In 2023, Fairwork continued its work across 38 countries, assessing working conditions in over 650 companies, and reaching over 5000 workers across the globe. By working with workers, platforms, legislators and unions we were part of 131 pro-worker changes made by companies to improve labour conditions for their workers. This has dramatically improved the quality of work for millions of workers across the world.  

2024 promises to be a very challenging and important year for digital work, with challenging international economic conditions (such as the ongoing cost-of-living and inflationary crises, increasing climate change effects, and the tech financing crash) creating turbulence for tech firms. We find that companies are responding to these crises by consolidating their services, cutting costs and, in a few encouraging cases, differentiating themselves in the marketplace by improving working conditions.