“We are delighted to have been commissioned to support Londoners who are reliant upon virtual platforms for their work.” said Tania Diggory, Founder & Director of Calmer. “This issue uniquely — though not exclusively — touches on large urban communities that rely on shift, support and delivery services, without acknowledging the workers providing these services. These are often physically demanding jobs with workers either riding bikes or standing on their feet for hours, adding bodily stress to other stresses more common to London workers.”

The gig economy can be defined “as a way of working based on people having temporary jobs or doing separate pieces of work, each paid separately, rather than working for an employer”. Increasingly it refers to people who trade their time and skills through online platforms (websites or apps), providing a service to a third party as a form of paid employment (CIPD, 2023).

Gig workers are a fundamental part of how London works. From delivery drivers and riders, to carers and desk based gig workers, over 20% of London’s population now
do some form of gig work. It’s an ever-evolving and expanding market.

“There are a range of prevalent issues faced by gig economy professionals on a daily basis, including but not limited to uneven work patterns, job insecurity, working anti-social hours, irregular or low pay, and loneliness,” continues Tania Diggory. “This project aims to highlight and address these issues, with the hope of sparking a wider conversation in the working world about strengthening the rights and support for gig economy workers.”

Take the survey — mental wellbeing for London gig-based economy workers

Calmer are asking anyone working full or part-time through platform/app-based work within London and the Greater London area for their opinion and feedback on their mental wellbeing through their Survey of 12 questions, which will take approximately 3 minutes to complete.

All feedback will help them to help you and your community feel more supported with your mental wellbeing.

Attend the free webinar on 28th November at 5pm — 6.30pm on how to improve your mental wellbeing as a Gig Economy worker.

This webinar is dedicated to unpacking the benefits and the challenges associated with gig economy work, as well as identifying the vital support needed to ensure mentally healthy, supportive and safe working conditions.

Primarily, the aim is to address common mental health challenges faced by gig economy workers, and provide practical strategies and resources to improve their wellbeing, specific to their needs and working situation.

This webinar, led by burnout-prevention expert Tania Diggory at Calmer, will:

• Identify the latest research and evidence highlighting current working conditions within the gig economy, including case studies and real-life experiences.

• Explore what support is available and identify gaps where further support is needed.

• Provide a suite of burnout-prevention strategies and self-care modalities to support the mental wellbeing of gig workers, as well as a range of helpful, accessible resources.

This session is open to gig workers, entrepreneurs, and business teams who are dedicated to developing research and support for gig economy workers.

About Calmer

Calmer is an award-winning training organisation that empowers entrepreneurs, freelancers, and business teams to nurture good mental health and wellbeing through workplace training, digital products, and events. We believe that a happy mind makes for a happy business, and promote the message of good mental health in all that we do.

About Tania Diggory

Tania Diggory is an entrepreneur, international Burnout Prevention speaker and Founder and Director of Calmer, a global, award-winning training organisation based in the UK that empowers entrepreneurs, freelancers and business teams to nurture good mental health and wellbeing.

Tania is a leading expert in the field of burnout prevention and is the Author of This Is Calmer: Inspiration, support and encouragement for the entrepreneurial mind, and Working From Home: The Complete Calmer Guide To Remote Working. As a qualified NLP Practitioner, Mindfulness Teacher and Mental Health Trainer & First Aider, Tania is passionate about raising awareness about the importance of balancing mental wellbeing with business success. Tania has trained and consulted over 400 companies since founding Calmer in 2016.