Resilience in Times of a Pandemic: A Study of Upwork and Uber Workers

Abstract

This study uncovers how workers of the gig economy adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic and exhibited capacity for resilience. Following the grounded theory approach, it analyzes more than 400 Upwork and Uber workers' conversations that were posted on Reddit during the first year of the pandemic. Findings reveal that, to face the pandemic risks, gig workers shared news and strategic knowledge with the community, temporarily transformed their work and designed new working practices, and sought emotional support from peers. These findings underscore the processes of resilience among gig workers, allow for comparisons between Upwork and Uber workers, and reveal how gig workers support each other in online communities, which functioned as relational resources.