Understanding technostress in the gig economy -- A Job Demands-Resources analysis of Chinese couriers
Understanding technostress in the gig economy -- A Job Demands-Resources analysis of Chinese couriers
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了解零工经济中的技术压力——中国快递员的工作需求-资源分析
DOI：
10.1101/2022.09.13.22279887
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发表时间：
2022
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Wei H
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Wei H
管理算法的使用正在迅速改变全球工作的组织和管理方式。由于普遍使用数字劳动力平台（如美团、嘀嗒和优步），家政工作是受影响最大的职业之一。算法管理（AM）的现有研究主要集中在它的功能，并未能捕捉到AM作为工作压力的潜在来源的潜在机制。本研究旨在填补这一差距，探讨敏捷营销如何改变中国快递员的工作体验。使用Nvivo 12进行主题分析。结果快递员对AM的反应和效果各不相同，有的人感到有动力，有的人感到沮丧。AM可以引入新的工作压力源，并与现有因素相互作用，以减轻或加剧工作压力。访谈中出现的关键主题包括“应用程序的“老板”，“不平等的暴露于AM和人类支持的作用”，“AM的新工作压力源-去人性化和数据化”，“工作压力源加剧了AM”和“不同的个人对AM的反应”。应用程序“老板”描述了快递员在由具有学习和决策能力的算法管理时的感受。受雇、零工和代理快递员对AM和不同质量的人力支持（例如经理和客户服务热线）有不同的接触。去人性化的特点是算法系统如何以与管理者不同的方式在质量或数量上履行管理职能。数据化是指将真实世界的信息和用户行为转换为数据并输入系统。信使还报告说，使用数字方法可能会加剧一些工作压力。例如，基于平台的快递员的时间压力加大，“延迟交付”是最受关注的问题。客户评级和跟踪也使客户对交付时间或服务质量施加压力，从而加剧了他们的工作压力。另一方面，一些快递员报告说，AM可以提供新的工作资源，并可以提供灵活的工作时间，获得工作机会，薪酬透明度和绕过办公室政治等好处。虽然这是一个小样本，但在我们看来，年轻的参与者有更多的积极experiences.ConclusionThis本文确定了AM的关键工作压力源，并探讨了AM如何与现有的工作压力源相互作用，以塑造中国快递员的工作经验。信使描述了非人化如何降低了支持的质量和他们与工作场所的关系感。数据化或从工人那里提取数据以及缺乏透明度导致了对潜在歧视、工作场所不公平和权力不平衡的担忧。信使对AM的反应各不相同，未来的研究应该考虑到这种异质性。
IntroductionThe use of managerial algorithms is rapidly changing how work is organized and managed globally. Courier work is one of the most affected occupations due to the common use of digital labour platforms (e.g. Meituan, Deliveroo and Uber). Existing research about algorithmic management (AM) has predominantly focused on its functionalities and failed to capture the underlying mechanism of AM as a potential source of work stress. This study aimed to fill the gap and explore how AM change Chinese couriers’ work experience.MethodWe conducted 15 in-depth interviews with couriers in May-June 2021 in China. Thematic analysis was completed using Nvivo 12.ResultsCouriers’ responses to AM and its effects varied as some felt motivated while others frustrated. AM can introduce new work stressors and interact with existing factors to alleviate or intensify work stress. Key themes emerged from the interviews included ‘App the “boss”‘, ‘Unequal exposure to AM and the role of human support’, ‘New work stressors of AM – Dehumanization and Datafication’, ‘Job stressors intensified by AM’ and ‘Varying individual response to AM’. App ‘the boss’ described how the couriers felt when managed by algorithms with learning and decision making capabilities. Employed, gig and agency couriers had different exposure to AM and human support of different quality, e.g. managers and customer service hotline. Dehumanization characterizes how algorithmic systems fulfil managerial functions in ways that differ from managers qualitatively or quantitatively. Datafication refers to the conversion of real-world information and user behaviour into data and being input in the system. Couriers also reported that the use of digital methods could intensify some work stressors. For example, time pressure was heightened among platform-based couriers with ‘late delivery’ as the most quoted concern. Customer rating and tracking also allowed customers to exert pressure on delivery time or service quality, and hence intensify their work stress. On the other hand, some couriers reported that AM can provide new job resources and can have benefits such as flexible hours, access to job opportunities, pay transparency, and bypassing office politics. Although this was a small sample but it appeared to us that younger participants had more positive experiences.ConclusionThis paper identified key work stressors of AM and explored how AM interacts with existing work stressors to shape Chinese couriers’ work experience. Couriers described how Dehumanization reduced the quality of support and their sense of relatedness to the workplace. Datafication or extraction of data from workers and lack of transparency led to concerns about potential discrimination, workplace unfairness and power imbalance. Couriers’ responses to AM varied and future research should take such heterogeneity into account.