The Phenomenon of Normalizing Self-Exploitation in Hustle Culture AmongGen-Z Gig Workers: A Socio-Legal Analysis and Policy Recommendations
Keywords:
hustle culture self-exploitation pekerja gig Gen-Z socio-legal analysisAbstract
This research aims to examine the phenomenon of hustle culture among gig workers and Gen-Z freelancers in Indonesia, highlighting the lack of legal protection for human rights and the resulting psychological impact. Using a socio-legal analysis, this study examines how social practices of hustle culture interact with gaps in national regulations, comparing them with more progressive international legal frameworks. The results and discussion indicate that hustle culture operates as a productivity regime that normalizes self-exploitation, blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, and deepens the vulnerability of gig workers who fall outside formal employment protections. Furthermore, claims of flexible work freedom perpetuate the logic of the global market, placing young workers in precarious conditions. Based on these findings, this study produces a framework of policy recommendations that focus on multidimensional protection for Gen-Z gig workers, encompassing legal, social, and psychological aspects. Recommendations emphasize the adoption of best practices from other countries, such as the Workers' Rights (Employment Rights) Bill in the UK, which expands the fundamental rights of gig workers; Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) in California, which reclassifies independent workers as contract workers; and social protection models in Germany and France, which include digital workers in health insurance and pension systems. Adaptation in the Indonesian context can be realized through the development of a social insurance scheme specifically for gig workers, the implementation of healthy working hours standards to maintain psychological balance, and transparent and fair employment contract arrangements. The conclusions of this study emphasize the importance of regulatory reform grounded in a multidisciplinary approach that integrates legal, economic, and psychological perspectives to protect Gen-Z gig workers from the negative impacts of hustle culture. The research's significance lies in its contribution to expanding interdisciplinary academic discourse and in offering a conceptual framework for policymakers to formulate adaptive regulations to the dynamics of flexible work in the digital era.
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