This study investigates the factors influencing gig workers’ affective commitment and intention to leave, focusing on the reciprocal dynamics shaped by corporate image, employee expectations and employer familiarity within the context of gig employment. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), we explore how these factors contribute to gig workers’ commitment and, ultimately, their intention to leave.
Using quantitative research, data were collected via surveys from 608 freelance gig workers. The study employed partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to examine relationships between variables and assess the mediating role of affective commitment.
The results reveal that employee expectations, corporate image and employer familiarity significantly influence affective commitment, which mediates the relationship between these factors and intention to leave. Meeting gig workers’ expectations and promoting a strong corporate image were pivotal in reducing turnover intentions.
This study is one of the few empirical investigations of India’s gig economy, highlighting the importance of organisational strategies for improving gig worker retention. By extending SET to a gig work context, the research provides theoretical and practical insights into the role of emotional bonds in fostering commitment, even in non-traditional employment structures.
This study advances the application of SET in the context of the gig economy by empirically examining affective commitment as a mediating mechanism linking corporate image, employee expectations, and employer familiarity to turnover intentions. It offers a novel perspective on how emotional bonds can be cultivated in non-traditional, flexible work arrangements. The research contributes to the emerging discourse on organizational commitment in precarious employment settings, particularly within developing economies.
