THE EFFECT OF GIG WORK ON EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING: MODERATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

Abstract

This article explores the implications of gig working on the well-being of the employees with a focus on the moderating role of Perceived Organizational Support (POS). Due to the ongoing shift to the gig economy breaking up the conventional employment paradigm, it has become more relevant than ever to know what the psychological consequences of gig workers are. Based on the Social Exchange theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the research builds its understanding on a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, by means of which the study evaluates data collected by means of structured questionaries’ distributed to freelancers working in Peshawar, Pakistan. In the results, we have found that although gig work is not a strong determinant of Employee Wellbeing, POS is a significant predictor and moderator of the relationship between Gig Work and Wellbeing. In particular, between the positive aspects of working a gig and positive impacts on Wellbeing, higher levels of perceived organizational support make this stronger. The results demonstrate the utmost significance of support systems, even under flexible and informal working arrangements, in facilitating psychological well-being and job satisfaction of gig workers. The research has practical implications on the policymakers and the gig platforms to promote a sustainable work environment in the gig economy.

Keywords: Employee Well-being, Gig Work, Perceived Organizational Support, Moderation, Freelancers, JD-R Model