'The Boring and the Tedious': Invisible Labour in India's Gig-Economy

Abstract

India's gig-based food delivery platforms, such as Swiggy and Zomato, provide crucial income to marginalised communities but also entrench workers in cycles of invisible labour. Through 14 semi-structured interviews, we analyse waiting time and repetitive UI itneractions as key burdens that contribute to 'digital discomfort' for gig based food delivery agents. We find that workers employ creative strategies to navigate algorithmic management, yet remain constrained by platform-side 'gamification' and system opacity. We propose worker-centered GUI automation as a potential intervention to reduce friction while preserving agency. In conclusion, this position paper argues for rethinking HCI approaches in the Global South to prioritise worker autonomy over efficiency-driven design optimisations.