Psychological wellbeing in informal workers within the gig economy: the roles of social support, work–life balance, workload, and time pressure

This study examines the effect of social support, work-life balance, and workload on psychological wellbeing with time pressure as a mediating variable among Gojek drivers in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. The research is motivated by the increasing reliance on ride-hailing services within the urban transport system and the growing vulnerability of gig workers' wellbeing under platform-based work arrangements. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to 267 Gojek drivers who met the predetermined sampling criteria and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The results indicate that social support and work-life balance have a positive and significant effect on psychological wellbeing, while workload has a negative effect. Time pressure is found to significantly mediate the relationship between workload and psychological wellbeing, highlighting its role as a key mechanism through which job demands affect drivers' mental conditions. These findings underscore the importance of managing job demands and strengthening supportive resources to enhance the psychological wellbeing of Gojek drivers in the context of platform-based work.