Measurement and development of digital platform work

Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center 

Digital platform work is an increasingly important component of labour markets worldwide, yet its measurement poses statistical challenges due to heterogeneous work arrangements and rapidly evolving platforms. Reliable and comparable statistics are essential for understanding the scale, characteristics, and dynamics of this form of employment.

Since 2016, Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has compiled official statistics on digital platform employment using labour force surveys and administrative data. MOM has also collaborated with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to design a standardised measurement framework for digital platform employment, aimed at improving conceptual clarity and cross-country comparability. Building on this work, MOM and ILO convened a Global Dialogue on Digital Platform Work in 2025, bringing together statisticians, policymakers and platform operators to discuss measurement approaches, data gaps, and implementation issues.

The paper presents the concepts, processes and challenges underpinning these initiatives, and illustrates how international collaboration can strengthen the production of official statistics on digital platform work.

digital platform work

official statistics

international collaboration 

Government Statistics Section