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Gig work is creating new opportunities for flexible employment in Sri Lanka, but workers continue to face challenges around income security, access to protections, bargaining power, and long-term sustainability. This article explores six key realities shaping Sri Lanka’s gig economy and highlights the need for policies and practices that ensure a fairer future for platform workers.

The article was written by researchers from the Center for Smart Future as part of their project, “Climate Change and the Future of Work in Sri Lankan Cities,” examining intersections of platform work, climate change, and the future of work in Sri Lanka, supported under the FutureWORKS Asia initiative – part of the FutureWORKS Collective, a global effort supported by the IDRC.

Read the full article published in the Daily FT newspaper on 1 June 2026.