Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

Economic and labor market context
Independent workforce: Government statistics
▪
Overall unemployment in France has roughly tracked trends in the EU-15. But youth unemployment is 
even higher; almost a quarter of young people are not working.
▪
12 million want more work: 3 million unemployed, 2 million who are part-time involuntary, and 7 million 
who are inactive.
GDP growth and median household income growth
Total and youth unemployment rate
% of labor force
0
2
15
20
3
1
4
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-1
-2
-3
2015
11 12
06 07
14
13
10
09
08
2005
GDP growth
% change, constant prices, 
2010 $
Median household 
income growth
%
20
15
5
0
25
10
2015
14
12
11
10
08 09
13
06 07
2005
France youth
EU total
France total
EU youth
GDP
$ trillion
2.25
2.36
2.45
52.5 million
working-age population
29.4 million
people in the labor force
12.1 million
people who want to work more
Key highlights
NOTE: Numbers may not sum due to rounding. 
SOURCE: Eurostat; OECD; McKinsey McKinsey Global Institute analysis

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McKinsey Global Institute
Independent work: Choice, necessity, and the gig economy
8–
11M
5M
Casual earners are the largest group of 
independent earners
% of independent earners
4.5
4.3
4.4
4.9
5
2
6
1
4
3
Traditional
Independents
Independents
Traditional
By choice (primary work only)
Out of necessity
By choice
Out of 
necessity
68%
32%
4 million
Free 
agents
29%
5 million
Casual 
earners
39%
1 million
Reluctants
10%
3 million
Financially 
strapped
21%
39%
61%
Primary
Scale from 1 (completely dissatisfied) 
to 6 (completely satisfied)