'The Demands Also Affect My Family': The Unseen Side Of Gig Work In india

In the last few weeks, gig workers in India have come into sharp public focus. Delivery apps experienced disruptions, unions called for collective action, companies issued public statements, and discussions unfolded across news platforms and social media. At the same time, within homes connected to gig work, families navigated these developments in quieter ways.

Gig work in India is marked by physically demanding labour, erratic schedules, volatile income, and constant pressure to meet platform metrics. Yet, it does not just affect the workers directly involved in the industry; it also affects their families.

SheThePeople spoke to some of the platform-based workers to better understand these matters.

Gig Workers open up about issues

Gig work in India is male-dominated; women comprise only 28% of the industry, according to NITI Aayog. 

While this gender imbalance in itself is striking, it is the issues that affect the workers' families (who are not even directly involved) that really reveal how the instability of gig work spills over into women’s everyday lives.

Male gig workers described how their families experienced the recent gig worker strikes in India. Many said that news about protests, company responses, and law enforcement involvement reached homes quickly.

For family members, this information added to existing concerns around income, safety, and routine.

“My wife had already learned to manage without knowing how much I would earn,” said Ramesh (name changed), a delivery worker. “The recent days felt tense, but uncertainty was something she was used to handling.”

Workers explained that their earnings often varied from day to day. Incentives, ratings, and order availability influenced income, which in turn shaped household planning.

“She managed food, school needs, and medicines around my work,” Ramesh said. “Even when money was short, she focused on making things work.”

Delivery speed commitments were another factor that shaped family experiences. Several workers said that fast delivery timelines increased concern at home.

“The app focused on speed, and that affected my family,” said Amit (name changed). “My wife waited for me at night and felt relieved only when I returned.”

Workers said the pressure to meet timelines sometimes meant long hours and physical strain, which families noticed closely.

“My mother often asked me to slow down,” said Rajesh (name changed). “She cared more about my safety than my earnings.”

For younger workers, gig work often became part of their lives during periods of transition or responsibility.

“When my father passed away, my mother depended on me,” said Imran (name changed). “I started earning while continuing my studies.”

He said his mother remained concerned about his health and future.

“She wanted to know how long this work could support us,” he said.

Across many households, women adjusted household routines in response to changing income patterns. Workers spoke about mothers and wives adapting expenses and managing expectations.

“They adjusted quietly,” Rajesh said. “They tried to reduce stress for everyone.”

Company Responses & Public Debate

Behind all the attention-grabbing push notifications and strategic memes, delivery platforms mask a day-to-day grind that remains largely invisible to customers.

When gig workers held a strike to demand better working conditions, company leaders issued statements publicly lauding workers who continued working and calling the protestors "miscreants." 

View this post on Instagram

“My wife read those statements and asked what they meant for families like ours,” said Amit. “She wanted to understand how our experiences fit into that picture.”

Unions responded with their own statements, offering a different assessment of how the days unfolded and highlighting concerns raised by workers. Discussions around these differing perspectives continued in public forums.

At the same time, social media users expressed a wide range of views. Some questioned the feasibility of certain demands, while others highlighted working conditions faced by gig workers.

Workers said these conversations often entered their homes through phones and television screens.

Centre's response

On January 2, the Centre released draft rules under the Code on Social Security, 2025, outlining a framework for registering gig and platform workers and extending social security benefits. The announcement was noted by workers and families as a significant policy development.

Workers said the proposed registration process, eligibility timelines, and benefit structures prompted discussion at home.

For several workers, the draft rules raised practical questions rather than clear answers. They spoke about how eligibility conditions, work continuity, and documentation could affect families differently over time.

Education, healthcare, and long-term stability remained central concerns within households. Workers described how women continued to plan around variable income while focusing on children’s needs.

“My wife plans expenses carefully every month,” said Venkatesh (name changed). “She wants stability, not extra benefits.”

As public discussion moved between company statements, union responses, and policy announcements, daily life inside gig workers’ homes continued largely unchanged.

Women remained responsible for managing uncertainty, maintaining routines, and supporting families through periods of change.

While the recent developments brought greater attention to gig work, workers said the experiences of their families reflected long-standing realities. For women in these households, the days were less about public debate and more about continuity.

They adapted. They planned. They waited.

And as conversations about the future of gig work continued, their role in sustaining families remained steady, even as conditions around them evolved.

Views expressed by the author are their own. SheThePeople does not endorse these opinions.