India’s gig economy is booming. Every month, platforms onboard thousands of delivery agents, warehouse workers, drivers, and field staff. Millions of young Indians are moving from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns to cities with the hope of a better life and more income.
But behind the growth story lies a deeper problem.
Despite demand, most gig platforms fail to retain workers beyond the first 30 days. Attrition is high, trust is low, and the worker experience is broken.
The reason is simple: apps can match jobs — but only infrastructure can support lives.
At Marketplace Company, we’ve seen it firsthand. From Bihar to Bengaluru, gig workers don’t just need access to jobs — they need a safe landing, a support system, and trust they can rely on.
Apps Don’t Solve City Life
When a migrant worker moves to a city for the first time, the real questions are not about app navigation or onboarding forms. They’re about:
- Where do I stay tonight?
- Can I trust this job offer?
- How do I find food I can afford?
- What happens if I get sick or scammed?
No app can solve these real-world problems without strong onboarding infrastructure to support them.
A strong migration ecosystem is required — not just software, but verified services that provide safety, trust, and continuity.
What’s Missing: The ‘Trust Infrastructure’
Most gig workers drop out not because of low wages, but because of lack of support and stability. When platforms fail to provide:
- Verified housing
- Affordable meals
- ID documents and SIM cards
- Safe onboarding in native language
- Ongoing support via WhatsApp or field reps
they lose people.
At Marketplace’s Instagram, we fill these gaps with real-world services:
- No-deposit PGs with free Wi-Fi
- Daily tiffin delivery
- Verified employers, no middlemen
- Hindi-first onboarding over WhatsApp
- Field reps (Nia Saathis) to guide every step
This is “trust infrastructure” — and it’s the difference between retention and dropout.
Why Gig Platforms Alone Don’t Work
Imagine launching a platform that recruits 1,000 workers in Patna. You promise job matching and payment tracking. But the workers arrive in Delhi and:
- Have no place to stay
- Can’t find their job location
- Are misled by fraud agents
- Can’t open bank accounts
- Struggle with language or city navigation
They leave — not because your tech is broken, but because your infra isn’t there.
Your product fails not because of bad UI, but because you didn’t build the physical support system that gig workers need.
The 30-Day Dropout Problem
In India’s gig economy, the most common failure point is the first month. If workers aren’t housed, fed, paid, and supported quickly, they go back home.
That first month requires:
- A verified job with a clear offer letter
- Safe accommodation near the work site
- Local food options they trust
- WhatsApp support in Hindi
- Help with Aadhaar, PAN, and SIM
That’s why our onboarding platform is designed to solve not just for jobs, but for real lives.
The Infra Multiplier: What Changes When You Build It Right
When gig platforms work with us, they see:
- 40% lower attrition in the first month
- 2x higher referral rates
- Reduced dropouts due to housing or food
- Faster worker ramp-up
- Better employer satisfaction
The investment in trust-based infrastructure isn’t a cost — it’s a growth strategy.
We share more such lessons in our founder’s Substack blog, which dives deep into stories of scale, policy, and infrastructure.
Case in Point: Raju’s Story
Raju, a delivery worker from Chhattisgarh, almost quit on Day 3. His job was real, but the city was overwhelming. He couldn’t find a room, skipped meals, and didn’t understand his payslip.
We stepped in with:
- PG housing 15 minutes from his job site
- Hindi tiffin service delivered daily
- A field rep who helped him open a salary account
- WhatsApp messages explaining shift times and incentives
Today, Raju not only works full-time — he’s referred 4 new workers.
For more such journeys, read our worker stories newsletter, where we document ground realities, trust gaps, and success.
Infra is the Competitive Edge
The next decade of the gig economy will be shaped not by who has the best app — but by who has the best city infrastructure.
- Verified services
- Ground-level support
- Community trust
- Local language onboarding
- Physical touchpoints in Tier-1 and Tier-2 hubs
This is what we’re building at Marketplace Company — a migration backbone for India’s gig future.
Join the Movement
If you're a:
- Gig platform looking to reduce churn
- Company hiring at scale
- Investor focused on blue-collar tech
- Government body improving worker welfare
- Vendor offering housing, food, or onboarding services
We want to collaborate.
Explore career opportunities, visit our onboarding solutions, or get in touch with us.
Let’s build the infrastructure that makes gig work sustainable — and human.
- Marketplace Company
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- Sachin Chhabra
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