Platform work has become a visible part of everyday life in Lahti. Food delivery couriers and digital freelancers are reshaping how services are produced and consumed, but the support systems have not developed at the same pace. This article discusses both the opportunities and the growing risks of this new form of work.
Who works in the gig economy?
Wickramaratna’s (2026, 1–52) recent bachelor’s thesis study is based on interviews with platform workers in the Lahti region. For many, gig work was their main job. Women were strongly represented, in line with earlier findings on the topic. Most of the interviewees worked in food delivery services. Some were involved in digital freelancing, which is an area that connects workers in Lahti to global markets.
In Lahti, the number of women in the gig economy work reflects several underlying factors such as safety concerns, caregiving responsibilities and possible disadvantages in algorithm-based systems that affect women’s participation in the gig economy (see De Neve et al. 2023, 344–347). At the same time, the absence of transportation service workers suggests that the local market may be too small to support ride-hailing services in the same way as in larger cities in Finland.
Income instability and social protection gaps
In Wickramaratna’s (2026, 8–9) study, income instability was a major challenge, especially among those relying on platform work as their main source of income. Another key concern was social protection, with respondents noting gaps in health, pensions, sickness and unemployment insurance services. This means that some platform workers are not adequately protected, as traditional employment schemes in Finland are still the norm (De Ruyter & Brown 2019, 13–15).
Flexibility and algorithmic control
Platform work offers flexibility, which many respondents valued. At the same time, a lack of transparency in algorithms and payment systems caused dissatisfaction. This was not a sign of acceptance but rather of resignation, as workers often adapted to the system instead of trying to challenge it. (Wickramaratna 2026, 9–11.)
However, workers do not always see algorithmic control as something that should be actively challenged. Instead, it can be viewed as a natural part of gig work (Pastuh & Geppert 2020). This seems to be the case among platform workers in Lahti, who tend to focus more on how the system works than on their ability to influence it.
What needs to change?
The development of the gig economy in the city of Lahti calls for a coordinated approach in platform governance, municipal policy and worker development. The results support portable benefits systems, in which protections move with workers between platforms and types of work instead of being tied to a single employer (Masta & Kaushiva 2024, 1368–1372).
Respondents also highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship, financial literacy and tax planning skills, because they work as independent workers rather than traditional employees (Wickramaratna 2026). Openness to worker organisations also indicates potential for cooperative and mutual-aid models suitable for flexible platform work (Schor 2020, 102–104; Zientara & Adamska-Mieruszewska 2024, 8–10). The governance structure of Lahti provides a good context for experimenting with such policies.
For comparison, people working in food delivery in Sweden often earn more than their counterparts in Finland, and their working conditions are partly more secure. In Sweden, couriers may also benefit from collective agreements that guarantee a minimum wage. However, it is worth noting that working conditions across countries are not directly comparable, as market conditions vary. (Hussein & Ivarsson 2026.)
There is no doubt that the gig economy is here to stay, but its sustainability depends on how well institutions adapt to support the people behind the platforms.
Microsoft Copilot was used to assist in clarifying the text.
Authors
Sanka Wickramaratna has completed a bachelor’s degree in international business at LAB University of Applied Sciences.
Sari Suominen works as Senior Lecturer at the LAB University of Applied Sciences in Lahti.
References
De Neve, G., Medappa, K. & Prentice, R. 2023. India’s Gig Economy Workers at the Time of COVID-19: An Introduction. Journal of South Asian Development. Vol. 18, (3), 343–358. Cited 15 May 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.1177/09731741231182759
De Ruyter, A. & Brown, M. 2019. The Gig Economy. Agenda Publishing.
Hussein, S. & Ivarsson, D. 2026. Foodora-lähetti tienaa Ruotsissa yli 10 euroa tunnissa, vaikka tilauksia ei olisi yhtään. Yle. Cited 26 May 2026. Available at https://yle.fi/a/74-20207209
Masta, R. & Kaushiva, P. 2024. Work in the platform economy: a systematic literature review. Employee Relations. Vol. 46 (7), 1365–1387. Cited 15 May 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.1108/er-12-2023-0638
Pastuh, D. & Geppert, M. 2020. A ‘Circuits of Power’-based Perspective on Algorithmic Management and Labour in the Gig Economy. Industrielle Beziehungen. Vol. 27 (2), 11–12. Cited 15 May 2025. Available at https://elibrary.utb.de/doi/abs/10.3224/indbez.v27i2.05
Schor, J. 2020. After the Gig: How the Sharing Economy Got Hijacked and How to Win It Back. Oakland: University of California Press.
Wickramaratna, S. 2026. Improving the Gig Economy in Lahti. Bachelor’s Thesis. LAB University of Applied Sciences. Faculty of Business and Hospitality Management. Lahti. Cited 15 May 2025. Available at https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026051712778
Zientara, P. & Adamska-Mieruszewska, J. 2024. Exploring Youth Preferences for Collective Action. Relations Industrielles. Vol. 79 (1). Cited 15 May 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.7202/1112839ar
