Publication type
Journal Article
Authors
Publication date
May 15, 2026
Summary:
Empirical studies have yet to fully examine how gig economy dependence shapes life satisfaction, its potential mechanisms, and gender differences, despite growing interest in the well-being implications of gig work. Using four waves (2019–2024) of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) and a two-way fixed effects (TWFE) design, this study finds that high dependence on gig work reduces life satisfaction, whereas low dependence does not differ significantly from other standard employment. Mediation analyses based on the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method indicate that perceived financial insecurity partly explains the lower life satisfaction among high-dependence gig workers, especially among men. Gender heterogeneity analyses reveal that only high-dependence gig work exhibits a significantly larger female–male gap in life satisfaction, with men reporting lower satisfaction than women. In the era of the gig economy, examining dependence and its gendered dynamics is crucial for understanding how new forms of work reshape both the distribution of well-being and the reproduction of social gender inequality.
Published in
Social Indicators Research
Volume
Volume: 183
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-026-03849-1
ISSN
3038300
Subjects
Notes
Copyright © 2026, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
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