Gatekeepers of the Gig Economy: HR Perspectives & Data-Driven Tools for Fair Gig Worker Management

Abstract. The global expansion of gig work, now 12.5% of the labor force, challenges traditional HR systems. While existing research focuses on worker experiences or policy, the perspectives of HR managers as organizational "gatekeepers" remain understudied. We address this gap through a three-phase study: (1) interviews and co-design workshops with 16 global HR managers, (2) a large-scale computational analysis of 423 HR-focused YouTube videos (distilled from 31,670) to map global discourse, and (3) the development of GIRAMISU, a participatory, data-driven tool. GIRAMISU integrates industry trends, performance metrics, and practitioner narratives to support transparent, accountable, and ethically adaptable management. A summative evaluation with 116 HR professionals demonstrates that the tool fosters reflective, data-informed practices. Our findings contribute to HR theory by highlighting how digital tools can mitigate the friction between traditional employment structures and the gig economy, ultimately promoting fair and inclusive management of gig workers.