Exploding flexible working
In the context of the constantly fluctuating labor market, flexible employment is becoming a popular choice for many workers.
Quitting an official job to find initiative
Mr. Nguyen Phu Do (from Vu Thu commune, Hung Yen province) used to work as a warehouse manager for a fruit agency. After 2 years of working, in November 2024, Mr. Do decided to quit his job and work as a technology motorbike taxi driver.
"My work started by shift. If working day shifts, the working time is from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; if working night shifts, the working time is from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. the next day. My two colleagues and I in the same shift were responsible for closing and opening the warehouse; exporting goods according to the warehouse export receipt; recording the complete books and handing over and signing them with the next shift. When I first started working, my salary was 8 million VND/month, including 1 meal/day. Before I quit my job, my salary was nearly 11 million VND/month, and I was able to participate in social insurance, said Mr. Do.
According to Mr. Do, the reason he quit his job was because the time working at the warehouse " exhausted" his health and limited time. Changing shifts and work schedules is very difficult because there are not many staff to arrange replacement workers. In addition, the job also has no future, promising, so Mr. Do decided to quit.
With no qualifications or degrees, with a high school diploma, Mr. Do quickly joined the team of technology motorbike taxi drivers.
"After finishing work, I ran out of money, and I did not have the opportunity to choose a job, so right after quitting my job at the warehouse, I registered to work as a technology motorbike taxi driver, the job was not tied, and having an immediate income was more comfortable in terms of working hours," said Mr. Do.
Not only unskilled workers, the job of driving technology cars, delivering goods, selling goods online to work freely under projects... opens up opportunities for many other workers, including qualified workers. This is considered a " way out" when formal employment is increasingly unstable.
Ms. Be Thi Thu Trang (from Lang Son) used to work as an employee of a book distribution company after graduating from the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi National University of Education.
After 6 years of working, Ms. Trang decided to quit her job due to boredom, high pressure, and a slow increase in income amid escalating living expenses.
Immediately after that, Ms. Trang took a job as an editor for a publishing house. The job has not caused a sudden increase in income but is more comfortable in terms of working time, flexible locations and receiving money according to products, making Ms. Trang more interested.
I edit each book for about 3-5 days, depending on the size of the text. The sticky rice is returned immediately after editing. I don't have to go to the office, have more time to take care of my family and can even calculate to do another job," said Ms. Trang.
Many risks
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - former Director of the Institute of Social Labor Science, the explosion of flexible employment is the result of many factors: Enterprises streamline their apparatus, strong digital transformation; technology platforms develop rapidly; demand for delivery services and e-commerce increases. In addition, the official job market has not created enough high-quality jobs and enough income for workers to live on. In that context, flexible working has become a "fire-fighting" solution, helping workers maintain immediate income.
Ms. Lan Huong did not deny that flexible employment brings many benefits such as easy-to- enter, no need for complicated procedures, and can increase income by increasing working time. However, the risks of flexible work often do not appear immediately, but only appear after a long time of association.
Flexible work can be a suitable choice in the short term, but if it becomes a long-term path without preparation, workers are likely to fall into a passive position, said Ms. Lan Huong.
Ms. Lan Huong also pointed out the high risks that flexible workers face: No "safe networks" to protect; unstable income, dependence on the platform; working a lot but having difficulty accumulating; high risk of occupational accidents; broken social insurance participation; difficulty returning to the official job market and silent psychological and health pressure.
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