Party and Public Service Center for New Employment Groups in Shapingba District, Chongqing Photo: IC PHOTO

Revolutionary advances in digital technology have given rise to emerging economic forms such as the platform economy and the sharing economy, reshaping employment patterns, social roles, the organization of production, and even the structure of social relations and modes of social governance. In order to shed light on the challenges faced by new employment groups—such as delivery workers, ride-hailing drivers, and online streamers—as well as their aspirations and the ways in which individual work and life might be integrated into the broader social system, Chinese social scientists should, through field research, provide detailed accounts of their working and living conditions.

The advent of new technologies disrupts traditional work and life patterns while also creating new jobs and occupational groups. Whether driven by economic necessity or active choice, new employment groups are adapting to the trends of the digital age. By offering innovative services, they not only secure their own income but also improve people’s quality of life, serving as pioneers in the transition to a digital society. This pioneering role is reflected in three key dimensions.

First, the online and offline activities of new employment groups are closely intertwined. In many cases, these groups do not produce physical goods but instead provide convenient services. Their work schedules are often dictated by consumer demand, with irregular and widely varying hours as well as a blend of work and life contexts. For delivery workers, streets and alleys are not only delivery routes but also places where they chat, eat, and rest. Online streamers enjoy even greater flexibility in terms of workplace and schedule—they can livestream almost anytime and from anywhere with internet access. Digital technologies have significantly reduced the constraints of time and space, enabling the fusion of work and life. As such, new employment groups are often at the forefront of both the “gig economy” and “flexible employment.”

Second, the work of new employment groups is highly dependent on data and algorithms. For delivery workers, task assignment, route planning, and delivery deadlines are all determined by algorithms, while for online streamers, scheduling, frequency, and platform recommendation are likewise shaped by data. Their performance, customer reviews, follower counts, income, and even career prospects are also heavily influenced by these systems. At the same time, these workers themselves generate data, interact with algorithms, and build their own digital social relations.

Third, the aspirations of these groups—as well as the difficulties they encounter—embody emerging issues in social governance in the digital age. Firstly, their relationships with platforms are asymmetrical. As ownership structures within the digital economy have yet to be clarified, new employment groups are often subject to informal labor contracts, leaving their labor rights inadequately protected. Secondly, uncertainties within the gig economy, compounded by rapid social change in the digital age, amplify their concerns over job security, career development, and sense of identity. Lastly, they need to be integrated into broader social life. Many in new employment groups are “digital natives” who grew up amid social transformations, adept at using digital technologies and acutely aware of future uncertainties. A large proportion of these groups are young individuals at a turning point in their lives, just beginning their social “adventures.” They yearn for understanding, social recognition, participation in public affairs, and avenues for self-expression.

Compared with traditional occupational groups, the work and lives of these new employment groups are markedly distinct. Incorporating them into the social governance system requires innovative approaches. Preliminary studies show that new occupational groups have both the need for social participation and the potential to make unique contributions. Delivery workers—familiar with the spatial arrangements of residential communities and the living conditions of residents—can help improve the efficiency of community governance. Online streamers, with their emotional connections to viewers and insight into public attitudes, can play a role in monitoring online public opinion, online mobilization, and other aspects of cyberspace governance.

In short, new employment groups exemplify new work modes in the digital age. They aspire to integrate into the digital society and should be considered key participants in social governance and social development.

Wang Tianfu is a professor from the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University.