Pressure and praise as an action research methodology: The case of Fairwork

In platform-mediated sectors such as ride-hailing, delivery, care work and cloudwork, gig workers often lack essential employment protections such as minimum wage and social security. Misclassification of workers, opaque algorithms, exploitation of legal loopholes and lobbying by platforms against protective legislation further exacerbates inequalities and discrimination. The Fairwork project at the University of Oxford and WZB Berlin, in collaboration with a global network of partners, aims to improve conditions in the platform economy through action research. Using a principles-based framework, the project evaluates and scores platforms against universal standards of fairness – fair pay, fair conditions, fair contracts, fair management and fair representation. The action-research methodology combines data triangulation and stakeholder engagement to ensure platform evaluations are objective and impartial, while seeking to hold platforms accountable and advocating for better labour standards in the gig economy. This article explores Fairwork as an action research methodology that has established positive feedback loops, driving platforms towards pro-worker policy changes. We hope this discussion encourages other politically engaged social scientists to adopt action research approaches in their own work.