New flexible employment has seen strong expansion in China in recent years amid the development of the digital and platform economy, reports Xinhua, citing a report jointly released by Jinan University and online recruitment platform Zhaopin.

The number of employees in new flexible employment accounted for 19.1% of all employees in the first quarter of 2023, up from 13.8% in the same period of 2020, the report showed. In the first quarter of 2023, 23.2% of all jobseekers desired flexible employment. The figure went up from 18.6% in the first quarter of 2020, said the report.

According to Guo Sheng, president of Zhaopin, new flexible employment posts are categorised in eight fields, including platform e-commerce, delivery, life service, knowledge service, platform livestreaming and ride-sharing drivers. Such job opportunities are mainly found in sectors such as transport, logistics, warehousing, culture, media, entertainment and sports.

Women, young people and those lacking work experience prefer new flexible employment positions, said the report. Meanwhile, the research also showed that new flexible jobs offer better payment compared with traditional employment, but the welfare level is lower.