The world of work is changing dramatically, and the shape of the workforce is changing with it. As organizations respond to the forces of globalization and technology innovation, they need to be agile enough to address rapidly shifting consumer preferences, compete with more nimble start-ups and scale or descale resources depending on demand. In a low-growth environment, they also need to be able to rigorously manage costs.
The rise of the gig economy is helping organizations address these needs. In a recent survey we conducted of employers in the US, one in two organizations indicated that they had increased their use of gig workers in the last five years.
And it seems to be more than a passing trend, as two in five organizations expect to increase their use of the contingent workforce by 2020. In fact, one in three employers of 100,000 employees or more expect to use 30% or more contingent workers in the same timeframe.
Source: http://www.ey.com/gl/en/services/people-advisory-services/the-gig-economy-transforming-the-workforce