After the pandemic began, the use of technology and digital platforms increased radically as they became the only means of contact with the outside world.
In the case of Colombia, the participation of platforms in the Colombian economy would be close to 0.2% of GDPaccording to a report by Fedesarrollo.
(Read: The most downloaded mobile apps in 2021).
“The role of the platforms during the pandemic has been critical, since they have not only facilitated the distribution of goods and services during the quarantines, thus supporting consumers and allied businesses, but they have also constituted an alternative source of resources for thousands of workers left behind. unemployed”, they indicate in the report.
The researchers found that collaborators, across platforms, increased especially in messaging and home applications. On the other hand, a more erratic behavior was evidenced in the mobility platforms, related to the restrictions in the first months of isolation.
The investigation showed that the digital messaging, home and mobility platforms generated income opportunities for nearly 150,000 employeeswho constitute 0.7% of the country’s employed population.
The main beneficiaries are those people with less probability of finding a formal job. The surveys carried out in the study revealed that only 14% of those interviewed would have a formal job if these platforms did not exist. 44% believe that they would be unemployed and 32% would be working as an independent.
(What’s more: App for companies in the tourism sector).
In turn, they found that people turn to these applications as a means of employment because they have no other job options. In many cases, they function as complementary mechanisms to working hours due to the flexibility of their schedules.
The platforms also managed to increase sales of allied businesses by 8.6%. In turn, they encouraged these businesses to adopt technological innovations to enter this purchase and sale. For example, the use of the Internet, alternative means of payment to cash, registration in the Chamber of Commerce and payment of taxes.
Along with this, Fedesarrollo found that users are willing to make additional payments for the operation of these services.
WHO ARE THE GREATEST BENEFICIARIES?
Currently, the ‘apps’ provide a technological service to connect users with delivery men.
private file
Although it would be thought that due to the flexibility of schedules, female participation would be high, only 9% are registered in messaging applications and addresses and 5% in mobility. Analysts attribute this to factors such as insecurity.
However, the participation of migrants is greatand. Specifically in messaging platforms and homes, because it is a sector with few access barriers. In these cases, they are 22%.
average age of employees is 35 years old. For mobility applications the range goes up further and is usually 38 years.
By November 2020, employees had an average income of 867,000 pesos per month if they worked 35 hours a week on messaging platforms and homes. In the case of mobility, the average income is 1.28 million pesos when working 45 hours.
(Keep reading: Colombia, one of the countries where they use social networks the most).
However, Initial and variable expenses associated with the business must be deducted.
Finally, the hourly earnings for these platforms are usually higher than the average minimum wage.
“The collaborators of the platforms obtain less monthly income than the rest of the independent workers, but they have fewer hours of dedication; and therefore, the income per hour is similar”they assure in the study.
The social security factor is one of the axes of this type of work. It is estimated that only 47% of employees are affiliated with pensions. At an ARL it is 33%.
THE CHALLENGES
Informality decreased for men, but increased for women.
Archive THE TIME
The entity also states that the expansion of the digital economy implies a series of challenges in terms of referring to the regulation, the payment of taxes and the linkagen of workers in social security programs.
Along with this, the levels of formalization are usually lower than those of the salaried sectors. That is why Fedesarrollo considers it important a horizontal reform to the independent sector. That you provide greater guarantees in terms of pensions, access to a health service and the ARL.
(See: Sectors in which ordinary citizens could invest).
In turn, it becomes necessary to begin to regulate the economic movements generated by these platforms through taxation, according to the entity.
BRIEFCASE
