A survey by McKinsey & Co. found that 36% of employed Americans identify themselves as independent workers, up from the company’s previous estimate of 27% in 2016. The survey also revealed the increase might be in part due to workers performing different kinds of jobs including short-term gigs and side hustles; digital platforms such as Airbnb, Uber and Upwork help provide a forum for this. In addition, post-pandemic workforce shifts by companies toward independent contractors, layoffs during the pandemic and cost-of-living issues are other factors.