Q&A: Working in Virtual Production

What does virtual production mean for employers?

Employers are no longer tied to specific locations. They can look for their employees all over the world – a company in Franconia in southern Germany might hire a designer in Helsinki or a graphic artist in Kyoto. This has enabled even smaller companies to operate globally.

How does this affect the employees?

Nowadays, employees need to compete with colleagues in the global market who may be better qualified or who may work faster or for less money. But, by the same token, employees are no longer tied to a certain location: they can decide for themselves where, how and when they want to work, and are therefore much more flexible and self-determined.

What effect does this have on employees?

Salaried employees, who can now work from home, and freelancers who offer their specialised services to companies, have benefited tremendously from this new flexibility. But then there are the so-called clickworkers, who have low-paid jobs and little security.

What does employment law say on the subject?

German employment law has not yet been adapted to cover clickworkers and crowdworkers. That’s because these two types of worker aren’t clearly distinguishable from other types of worker. According to one study: “Depending on the facts of each individual case, it must instead be established whether an employment relationship exists or whether the worker is self-employed. For the most part, crowdworkers are not employees. Even in cases where they’re considered to be employees, the next question must be who their actual employer is.”

How can we deal with this overall development in the labour market?

Workers must sit down with companies and policy-makers and discuss what this new digital and flexible working world should look like: which rights should the various types of worker have, and how can these be adequately protected? Only then can the virtualisation of our work become a real opportunity for employees and employers alike.