Algorithmic Management and Workers’ Rights: From a New ILO Convention to Implementation

Inclusive Intelligence International

Oct 21

5 min read

Updated: Oct 23

As digital platforms increasingly use automated systems to manage work, a new international labour standard seeks to strengthen protections for workers. The next challenge is turning its provisions into effective national policies.

Algorithms already influence how millions of people work, from assigning tasks and calculating earnings to evaluating performance and restricting access to jobs. For workers dependent on digital platforms, these decisions can directly affect their income, safety and livelihoods.

On 14 October 2026, Human Rights Watch (HRW) drew attention to these concerns in an analysis examining the experiences of platform workers and the need for stronger regulation. The publication follows an important development in international labour governance: on 12 June 2026, the International Labour Conference adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026 (No. 193), establishing the first international labour standard specifically dedicated to the platform economy.

A further step is now under consideration. On 15 October, the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued a document proposing a strategy to support the Convention's ratification and implementation, ahead of its Governing Body meeting in Geneva on 9–19 November 2026.

Together, these developments raise a central question: how can technological innovation expand economic opportunities while ensuring that workers retain meaningful rights and protections?

When Algorithms Become Workplace Managers

Digital labour platforms have created new opportunities for employment, flexible work and income generation. Yet the systems through which they organise work can also create substantial challenges for transparency and accountability.

Human Rights Watch has documented how platform workers can struggle to understand decisions affecting their earnings, customer ratings, work assignments and account access. Its research in the United States found that companies use frequently changing algorithms to determine remuneration, often leaving workers without clear explanations of how payments are calculated. Workers whose accounts are suspended or deactivated may also face difficulties obtaining information or challenging those decisions.

Research conducted by HRW across countries including India, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico and Pakistan has identified further concerns about unstable earnings, work-related expenses and inadequate protection following injuries. In one case described by HRW, a delivery worker in Delhi suffered a broken arm after falling while trying to meet delivery targets. According to his account, he had to cover his medical expenses himself.

Such cases illustrate that algorithmic management is not solely a question of technological performance. It can also influence the distribution of economic risks, the organisation of work and workers' access to effective remedies.

What Convention No. 193 Changes

Adopted in June 2026, Convention No. 193 represents a significant development in international labour standard-setting. It establishes a framework for protecting people working through digital labour platforms, whether their work is performed online or in a physical location.

The Convention addresses several areas of particular importance.

Transparency and review of automated decisions. Under Articles 13–15, ratifying States must establish measures requiring platforms to inform workers about automated systems used to monitor, evaluate or make decisions affecting their work. Workers must be able to request written explanations of significant adverse automated decisions and obtain review of certain decisions involving withheld payments, account deactivation or termination, with appropriate human involvement.

Employment status and remuneration. Article 9 requires measures to ensure that workers are correctly classified according to the actual circumstances of their work. The Convention does not automatically classify all platform workers as employees. It also establishes rules concerning timely payment and specific minimum-remuneration protections for workers in an employment relationship.

Safety, social security and access to remedies. The Convention covers occupational health and safety, protection against violence and harassment, access to social security, personal data protection and dispute resolution. It also addresses the particular protection needs of migrants and refugees working through digital platforms.

These provisions recognise that automated management systems can shape working conditions in ways traditionally associated with employers, even where working arrangements differ from conventional employment.

Importantly, adoption does not mean that these requirements already apply uniformly across countries. Under Article 27, the Convention becomes binding on ratifying States only after the conditions for entry into force are met. As of 23 October 2026, no ratifications had been registered, according to the ILO's official records.

From International Standards to National Implementation

The next stage concerns translating the Convention into practical protection.

In a document dated 15 October 2026 (GB.358/INS/4/2), the ILO outlined a proposed strategy for supporting governments and social partners in promoting, ratifying and implementing Convention No. 193.

The strategy includes assistance with reviewing national legislation, developing institutional capacity, strengthening dialogue among governments, employers and workers, and improving access to relevant research and policy guidance.

The document also recognises that digital labour platforms frequently operate across national borders. International and regional cooperation may therefore be important for addressing differences between legal systems and improving regulatory responses.

The ILO identifies opportunities to work with international organisations, academic institutions, development partners and civil society, including through research, technical assistance and the exchange of experience.

However, the strategy has not yet been approved by the Governing Body. Its proposed activities are also subject to financial constraints and the availability of resources.

These limitations underline the difference between adopting an international standard and ensuring that workers benefit from it in practice.

Beyond the Platform Economy

Although Convention No. 193 specifically concerns digital labour platforms, questions surrounding algorithmic management extend into other sectors.

Automated systems are increasingly used in recruitment, performance evaluation, workforce scheduling and operational decision-making. Research referenced by HRW and the ILO has identified such practices beyond digital platforms, including in logistics and healthcare.

Convention No. 193 does not automatically extend its specific protections to all these workplaces. Nevertheless, the principles it addresses — transparency, accountability, appropriate human involvement and access to effective remedies — are relevant to wider discussions about the governance of automated decisions at work.

The broader policy challenge is ensuring that technological efficiency does not develop independently of the rights of people affected by these systems.

Our Perspective: Making Technological Progress Work for People

For Inclusive Intelligence International, the emerging international framework highlights the importance of integrating human rights and labour protections into technological transformation.

Digital platforms and automated systems can support economic participation, innovation and new employment opportunities. Protecting these benefits requires governance approaches that also address the risks of discrimination, unequal bargaining power and inadequate social protection.

Convention No. 193 offers a new international reference point for those discussions. Its significance will depend on how governments, employers and workers translate its provisions into national laws, institutional practices and accessible remedies.

The proposed ILO implementation strategy represents a potential next step, but its effectiveness will depend on decisions still to be taken and the resources available.

The central test of responsible technological governance is not only whether automated systems improve efficiency, but whether the people whose livelihoods depend on them can understand decisions, exercise their rights and obtain meaningful protection.