MOBILNOST RADNE SNAGE U DIGITALNOJ EKONOMIJI I RIZIK PREKARNOG RADA / LABOUR MOBILITY IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY AND THE RISK OF PRECARIOUS WORK

Abstract

Development of digital platforms significantly affects labour mobility and the emergence of precarious work within the digital economy. The growth of platforms such as Uber, Bolt, and Glovo has transformed traditional employment models and enabled a new form of labour mobility – virtual mobility – in which workers provide services to clients on the global market via the internet without the need for physical relocation. Although this model of work offers certain advantages, such as flexibility, job accessibility, and opportunities for additional income, it also creates a range of challenges related to unstable earnings, unclear employment status, and limited social protection for workers. A review of relevant literature shows that workers on digital platforms are often classified as self-employed, even though in practice their work frequently exhibits characteristics of dependent employment. Particular emphasis is placed on regulatory challenges in the European Union and Croatia, where the existing legal framework still does not adequately address the specificities of platform work. In conclusion, the paper highlights the need for clearer regulation, transparency in algorithmic management, and the introduction of minimum social protection standards in order to ensure a balance between the flexibility of digital work and the protection of workers’ rights. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between digital labour mobility and precariousness and identifies key shortcomings of existing regulatory frameworks. Based on the analysis of literature and practice, guidelines are proposed for improving labour market policies and strengthening the social protection of workers in the digital economy.