TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's gig economy is surging as young workers increasingly seek job flexibility and diverse income streams. While some gig workers earn more than full-time employees, they lack insurance protection and workplace retirement benefits that traditional jobs provide.
Sung Tzu-chi (宋子淇), a young worker in Taipei who juggles three part-time jobs, exemplifies this trend. She works as a restaurant server from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., delivers food in the evening, and supports events at exhibitions on weekends. Working extra hours, she can earn up to NT$70,000 (around US$2,338) monthly, far surpassing typical entry-level salaries.
Part-time staff numbers in Taiwan's restaurant industry continue growing. Nearly two-thirds of major chain restaurant group Wowprime Corporation's (王品集團) workforce are part-time workers. This figure reaches 34.5% at Jhujian Catering Group (築間餐飲集團) and roughly 30% at Hi-Lai Foods (漢來美食).
Flexible operating hours in the restaurant sector require additional labor during lunch and dinner peaks, making part-time work crucial for staffing flexibility. Ku Shang-chun (顧上鈞), deputy secretary-general of the Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan (台灣連鎖加盟促進協會), says seasoned part-timers can quickly integrate into large events like weddings and banquets without retraining.
Hung-Yue Suen (孫弘岳), a professor at National Taiwan Normal University (臺師大科技人資系), explains that Taiwan's median salary is NT$38,000 (around US$1,269). With an average workday of 9.6 hours, this equates to NT$180 per hour. Many part-time jobs pay well above minimum wage, between NT$210 and NT$255, averaging NT$220 per hour.
Working 22 days monthly for eight hours daily at this hourly wage can exceed the median salary. However, scholars warn of risks associated with relying exclusively on part-time work. According to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (行政院主計總處), Taiwan's non-traditional labor force exceeded 800,000 last year.
Such workers face unstable jobs and incomes, lacking workplace pension contributions, group insurance, and often labor insurance. Suen notes these workers may receive only NT$7,000 (around US$234) monthly in national pension upon retirement, significantly lower than retired workers with labor insurance and pensions.
Researchers from National Central University published a 2020 article suggesting Taiwan's wage stagnation compared with South Korea may stem from globalization and declining worker bargaining power. This means workers' purchasing power has declined despite rising productivity.
Given this low wage growth, the financial benefits and relative freedom of the gig economy may continue attracting young Taiwanese workers who prefer not being tied to an office. As the trend grows, balancing flexibility and financial security will become crucial for Taiwan's workforce.