Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

THE PROFILE OF INDEPENDENT WORKERS LOOKS SIMILAR ACROSS 
ADVANCED ECONOMIES, BUT THE ECONOMIC CONTEXT MATTERS, TOO
One of the most striking findings from our survey was the degree of similarity in the profiles 
of independent workers across the six countries we analyzed—despite differences in their 
labor markets, safety nets, and ease of starting a business (Exhibit 17). 
Across all six countries, supplemental earners slightly outnumber those who earn their 
primary living independently, and those who are independent by preference outnumber 
those by necessity by a wider margin. But there are some nuances depending on the 
macroeconomic context. 
48
  Matthias Benz and Bruno Frey, “The value of doing what you like: Evidence from the self-employed in 23 
countries,” 
Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization
, volume 68, issue 3–4, 2008.

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McKinsey Global Institute
2. Choice vs. necessity: Understanding the independent workforce 
Spain is in the same general range as the other countries in our survey, but it stands out as 
a country that is still recovering from a steeper downturn than the others. Unemployment 
remains persistently high, and there has been a significant increase in job insecurity since 
the crisis. Spain has the lowest share of independent earners under age 25 in our survey 
(17 percent compared with 23 percent for the other countries), reflecting concentrated youth 
unemployment and the difficulties young people now face in finding any type of work. 
Independent work is common in Spain, but often because workers could not land 
the traditional jobs they would prefer. Overall, 45 percent of all people who work are