Authors: Edison Research
Overview
Originally associated with musicians playing periodic “gigs” with no consistent work, the “gig economy” refers to a growing segment of the labor market where employment is outside a traditional full-time or part-time model, usually in a freelance capacity. The gig economy is being fueled by technology, which has facilitated the mobility of employees. With computing, smartphones, apps, and online payment options, employees have the ability to market themselves, execute work, and receive payment, all without the constraints of an office or traditional job site. Participation in the gig economy may be the result of necessity or it may be a choice. Whether it is the unavailability of work in the traditional job market for those recently educated or between jobs, or a lack of interest in traditional employment, there are almost endless gig options to fill the gaps.
The latest iteration of the Marketplace-Edison Research poll, a regular series of surveys that measures how the U.S. population feels about their personal economy in the landscape of the larger economy, finds that almost one-quarter of Americans age 18+ are employed in some way in the gig economy
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