Meet the Platform Workers

Our signature session, “MEET THE PLATFORM WORKERS”, during which we bring platform owners face-to- face with contractors who work through their platform and fire up the debate – will focus on high-skilled platforms this year. Among others, the panel will feature Michael Kearns, VP of Enterprise at Toptal, Marieke Blom, Head Economist at ING, and Shellie Karabell, Journalist, who will chair the debate.

At “future of work” conferences there is usually a lot of talk about platform workers but opportunities to hear their voices are much less common. Platform workers are inarguably one of the most important stakeholder groups – after all, it is their future that is at stake. Therefore, hearing their perspective is of crucial importance.

To include platform workers in a debate that is essentially about their lives and livelihoods, this session is structured around the questions and comments they bring to the table. What are their perspectives, priorities and uncertainties? What changes would they like to see with respect to how their work is organized and valued – if any? And is there even a unified “they” to begin with?

Chair:
Shellie Karabell, Journalist

Panelists:
Michael Kearns | VP of enterprise, Toptal
Marieke Blom | Chief economist, ING