Resolving Precariousness: Advancing the Theory and Measurement of Precariousness across the paid/unpaid work continuum

Project Information

REsPecTMe

Grant agreement ID: 833577

DOI

10.3030/833577

Project closed

EC signature date 8 August 2019

Start date 1 October 2019

End date 31 March 2025

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 2 486 875,00

EU contribution

€ 2 486 875,00

Coordinated by

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - REsPecTMe (Resolving Precariousness: Advancing the Theory and Measurement of Precariousness across the paid/unpaid work continuum)

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Across Europe, more people struggle to make ends meet despite working long, demanding hours. The ResPecTMe project explores this issue by asking how unpaid/paid work relates to precarity. It aims to offer a new analytical lens on unpaid labour within paid work by developing a theory, measurement, and monitoring tools for precariousness and unpaid work.
In the qualitative first phase, the project sought to (1) theorize precariousness beyond the paid/unpaid work divide, and (2) empower workers by making their conditions visible and their voices heard. We collected 414 biographical interviews, 93 audio diaries, and 98 expert interviews across three work areas: creative, gig, and care work, in eight European countries.
The analysis revealed multiple forms of unpaid and underpaid labour embedded in paid work—such as work intensification, waiting times, emotional labour, and personal investment in work tools and equipment. We developed a new theory of the politics of unpaid labour, explaining how and why people engage in such work and how it contributes to precariousness through macro- and micro-level dynamics. This theory is detailed in The Politics of Unpaid Labour (Pulignano & Domecka, 2025), which links inequality in precarious work to unpaid labour's structural and ideological foundations.
In the quantitative second phase, we sought to (1) develop a multi-indicator survey instrument to measure unpaid labour in paid employment, drawing from our qualitative findings; and (2) to validate the instrument by using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and examining its predictors and consequences. This tool captures various types of unpaid labour —like overtime, unpaid tasks, or using personal resources—across the wider working population in different countries. It also records worker experiences and socio-demographic data. After piloting in the UK, we implemented the survey in Sweden (Lore), France (ELIPSS), the Netherlands (LISS), and the UK (NatCen). Results illustrate three classes of paid/unpaid labour and the usefulness of the unpaid labour typology by linking it to relevant predictors and consequences (such as work-life balance).

website: https://soc.kuleuven.be/respectme

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Despite Covid-19 challenges, we successfully collected data from workers and experts in care, gig, and creative sectors using biographical interviews and work diaries. Our researchers received in-depth training in qualitative and biographical methods.
From this data, we developed a theory of the politics of unpaid labour, focusing on how labour market structures and stigma—embodied in the ‘ideal worker’ norm—drive unpaid labour and deepen inequality in precarious work (Pulignano & Domecka, 2025).
In the quantitative phase, Hyojin Seo, Bart Meuleman, and the PI designed and validated a survey on unpaid labour, first piloted in the UK, then rolled out in national panels in France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK. A technical report on the survey design and data (open access via Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15180621) is available. The module was adopted by WageIndicator in 45 countries and partially included by Eurofound in their 2024 platform workers’ survey, contributing to its visibility and relevance.
We are finalizing publications on measuring unpaid labour and its predictors and consequences. One paper by Seo, Franke, Meuleman, and Pulignano presents a typology of unpaid labour. The ResPecTMe team is jointly organizing a session at the next ILO Conference in July 2025 on human-centric growth models where findings on unpaid labour’s impact on work-life balance will be presented.
Our findings, published in peer-reviewed international journals, research reports and policy briefs , explore among others:
• Forms and systemic features of unpaid labour in the gig economy;
• Social protections of platform workers
• Skill investment vs. inadequate compensation in crowdwork;
• Blurred work-life boundaries;
• The rise of home–work “grey zones”;
• Covid-19 experiences across work sectors;
• A standardised unpaid labour measure and typology of unpaid labour;
• Links between unpaid labour and job/individual characteristics.
We’ve shared results widely—via our website, social media, newspapers, newsletters, blogs, and podcasts. The PI has delivered keynotes and participated in EU-level panels. In April 2022 and February 2025, we presented Fairwork in Belgium reports ranking platforms by working conditions, discussed with EU Commission and Parliament representatives, unions, and academics.
We presented at major international and national conferences (SASE, ILPC, ESA, ETUI, etc.) and co-organised the final ResPecTMe conference with ETUI in February 2025. Our advisory board met annually to provide expert feedback on our work.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Our theory of precarious work integrates unpaid labour—unremunerated time and effort—along the continuum of paid and unpaid activities, grounded in our qualitative data. It reveals how inequality in precarious work is shaped by both macro-level factors (e.g. employment systems, welfare states) and micro-level dynamics (e.g. households).
We developed new frameworks linking unpaid labour to skills and effort-bargain, especially in the platform economy, revealing different unpaid labour types. Our findings challenge assumptions from human capital theory by showing that skill investment doesn’t necessarily lead to better pay or time autonomy. We also expose how work and non-work boundaries blur—particularly in platform work—and contribute to the understanding of the “autonomy paradox” through the concept of a “worker autonomy regime.”
Based on our research on unpaid labour, we developed the concept of ‘income theft’ indicating how freelancers are deprived of the fruits of their labour by disrupting their autonomy and financial stability.
Our theory was translated into survey indicators measuring various types of unpaid labour within paid jobs. The resulting tool allows for cross-country and cross-sectoral comparison. Survey data confirm that unpaid labour is widespread across Europe and highlight its links to socio-demographics, job characteristics, and well-being.

Expert interviews

sectors, countries

Survey module implementation

Biographical narratives

Audio diaries