Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

MGI’s survey finds that substantial numbers of traditional workers and people 
not currently working say they would like to try independent work
The results of the MGI survey suggest room for independent work to grow in the future. 
We asked respondents about the working style they would like to pursue in the future, then 
determined the share of independent earners who no longer want to be independent as 
well as the share who are not currently independent but would like to be. However, while 
this approach is fully exhaustive in capturing workers’ aspirations, people do not always 
act on their desires. To provide a more realistic picture, we asked respondents how likely 
they were to pursue their desired options and adjusted the share switching status in the 
future accordingly. 
We find that 68 percent of independent primary earners would like to continue making 
their primary living from independent work in the future and think it is likely that they will. 
In addition, 32 percent of supplemental independent earners, about half of whom have a 
traditional job, would like to make independent work their primary source of income in the 
Exhibit 22
Since 2008, temporary and contract work has accounted for all net employment growth