Post-Pandemic Labor Market Transformation: The Rise of the Gig Economy and Youth Employment in Southeast Asia

Abstract

This study examines the post-pandemic transformation of labour markets in Southeast Asia, focusing on the rise of the gig economy and its relationship to youth employment. Combining a survey of 1,200 young workers aged 18 to 29 across Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand collected between January and October 2023 with 40 semi-structured interviews of platform workers, the study applies logistic and ordinary least squares regression alongside reflexive thematic analysis to characterise the drivers, earnings, and lived experience of platform-mediated gig work. By 2023, an estimated 28.4 per cent of young urban workers in the four sampled economies engaged in at least one form of platform-mediated gig work, with full-time participation concentrated in the food delivery, ride-hailing, and online retail segments. Logistic regression indicates that secondary school completion lowers the probability of gig participation by 6.8 percentage points (p<0.05), while youth from lower-income households and urban residents are significantly more likely to engage in gig work. Earnings differentials are notable, with median full-time gig earnings ranging from USD 247 in Vietnam to USD 358 in Thailand, but earnings volatility and absence of social protection emerged as persistent concerns. Qualitative analysis identified four overarching themes: the autonomy paradox, the social protection gap, opportunities for skills development, and intergenerational tensions over the status of platform work. The study contributes to the literature on the gig economy in emerging Asia and informs policy debate on portable benefits, platform regulation, and the integration of platform work into national social protection systems