Fairness Perceptions in Digital Platform Work by Gender and Work Type: Rethinking Organisational Justice

Organisational justice research demonstrates the significant effects of fairness perceptions on performance, attitudes, and behaviours in employment relationships. The fairness perceptions of workers engaged with digital labour platforms are less understood. Using data from a survey of 888 Australian platform workers, we integrate organisational justice perspectives and emerging research on algorithmically‐driven labour to investigate fairness perceptions in platform work. Two features of platform work salient to fairness perceptions were identified— autonomy and earnings. The fairness perceptions of males and females did not differ, but significant differences were found depending on whether the work was performed in person or via the internet. The findings contribute to the nascent literature addressing perceptions of fairness of workers beyond standard employment and may inform organisational strategies and algorithmic HRM practices that support fairness perceptions in platform work.