According to a new report from McKinsey there are 162 million workers in the US or Europe engaged in some kind of independent work, what some call the gig economy. You may want to call them freelancers, or you might just refer to this huge army of people as the self-employed.
But should they have more rights? We want to know what you think.
The government is looking at this very idea, and Matthew Taylor, the former head of the policy unit under Tony Blair and now the chief executive of the RSA is conducting a review into modern employment.
But should workers who form part of this gig economy be entitled to sick pay, holiday pay, or be subjected to longer notice periods?
As a leading web site read by entrepreneurs, company directors and owners, Fresh Business Thinking has put together a short questionnaire here.
McKinsey has divided the gig economy into four categories. Bear in mind that this is over Europe and the US.
There are free agents, who are a part of the gig economy by choice, and make up around 30% of the entire independent workforce.
There are casual workers, who use the gig economy to top up their income out of choice - that's 40% of the gig economy.
There are the reductants - 14% - who form part of this economy out of necessity, and there are the financially strapped - 16% - who use the gig economy to top up their income because they have to.
Not surprisingly, gig economy workers by choice report greater job satisfaction. But how you really determine the difference between a gig worker by choice and necessity is not clear. There must be a huge grey area between these categories.
There is also the uberisation of the workforce; technology may create such an efficient labour market that employers subcontract more and more work to freelancers, who in turn may work for multiple clients.
Would this change be good, bad or maybe good when subject to rules? Let us know what you think.
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