Flexible Work Models: Economic Consequences and Policy Asymmetries

Abstract

This article addresses the policy asymmetries and global economic impacts of flexible and hybrid work models driven by multinational companies (Google, Microsoft). The study aims to analyse the gains provided by these models in terms of organisational efficiency and employee autonomy, as well as the managerial issues they have created, through a comparative approach. In the study, the gig economy, shaped by the development of the digital platform economy, was examined as a distinct area; adaptable frameworks such as Employer of Record, implemented by multinational companies in dynamic markets like Turkiye, were evaluated. The findings indicate that while the gig economy offers flexibility, it deepens structural issues such as income fluctuations, economic insecurity, and a lack of social protection for millions of workers operating under algorithmic control. The uncertain legal status of platform workers creates significant compliance challenges. In this context, the study concludes that a third status should be created to provide proportional social protection for workers subject to digital management, and that the right to disconnect should be legally guaranteed to prevent burnout and unequal power relations.