Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

An occupational analysis reveals that it is feasible to create independent work 
arrangements for those who desire it
The other key source of potential demand for individual services would come from 
companies and other organizations. We assessed this by first considering what types of 
jobs could feasibly be performed by external workers, identifying five attributes that seem to 
be key determinants.
The first is the extent to which the job consists of discrete tasks that can be clearly outlined 
for external hires and spelled out in contracts. Tasks that can already be outsourced on 
various digital platforms or through temporary agencies typically have clearly defined scope 
and are discrete in either the time required or the outputs expected. 
Second, we look at whether the occupation involves intricate teamwork or managing other 
individuals. Jobs that entail management or heavy collaboration may be less amenable to 
being performed by an independent worker. Third is the degree of contextual knowledge 
required to do the job. If that knowledge is not explicit and easily transferable, the job will not 
be well suited for external hires, as it requires more on-boarding and real-time interaction. 
The fourth attribute is whether the occupation is seasonal or already has high turnover. 
Seasonal industries (such as retail) have always relied on temporary workers during periods 
of heavier demand. Occupations that have high turnover, such as food services and retail 
sales, could already be considered de facto independent since many people take those 
jobs with the intention of quitting in just a few months. Companies in the fast-food industry, 
for instance, have designed rapid on-boarding because of the rate at which new employees 
cycle in and out. 
Finally, we consider whether the occupation demands scarce talent. Professionals such 
as computer scientists and doctors have such specialized skills and are in such demand 
that they can shape favorable independent work arrangements, whether that means being 
selective about the assignments they accept or maintaining flexibility in their schedule. 
Based on whether these attributes apply, occupations were linked to one of five broad 
archetypes (Exhibit 28): 
 
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Transient workers.
 These workers have widely available skills and occupy jobs with 
high turnover or seasonality in fields such as retail and food service. Their roles are 
easily converted to independent work—and in fact, many of them are already hired in 
a temporary capacity. This category encompasses some 20 million to 25 million US 
workers and 15 million to 20 million Europeans.
 
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Experts.
 Workers with specialized, scarce skills can spread their time among multiple 
employers given the demand for their skills. This includes occupations such as 
programmers, physicians, and lawyers, and it includes individuals at the very top of the 
wage scale. This category applies to some five million US workers and five million to 
ten million Europeans. 
 
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Generalists.
 These are workers with more readily available skills; they occupy jobs with 
discrete tasks and easily transferable knowledge. In principle, their work could become 
independent. Some 30 million to 35 million US workers and 40 million to 45 million 
European workers are in this category.
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The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in the United States
, McKinsey Global Institute, April 2016.

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McKinsey Global Institute
3. How independent work may evolve in the future
 
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Project-based managers.
 While most managerial roles are not conducive to 
independent work, it is a different story in project-based environments. Construction 
managers and people who work on collaborative creative projects fall into this category, 
which is the smallest of our archetypes. This category includes roughly five million 
workers in the United States and five million in Europe. 
 
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Traditional “company workers.”
 These workers have readily available skills and 
perform discrete tasks, but their roles demand some contextual knowledge. This 
category includes occupations such as registered nurses, who share common skills but 
benefit from knowing the intricacies of processes in a given hospital. Similarly, executive 
assistants do not have rare skills, but their knowledge of how to navigate a particular 
company’s bureaucratic processes and manage personalities may be priceless. This 
category is less suited to being converted into independent work since the contextual 
knowledge of these workers directly contributes to organizational efficiency and efficacy. 
Approximately 40 million to 45 million US workers and 40 million to 45 million Europeans 
fall into this category.
The tasks performed by experts and transient workers seem to be most amenable to 
becoming independent work. Many of these roles are independent, and turnover is high in 
many of these professions. At the other end of the spectrum, occupations that fall outside 
these categories or blur these boundaries are poorly suited to being handled independently. 
These include executives, members of the clergy, teachers, full-time nannies, and business 
operations specialists.