Stronger Together: Independent Workforce Soars to 72.1 Million Americans

The independent workforce has grown more robust than ever in 2023. Today, 72.1 million Americans are pursuing independent work, a number equal to about 45% of the U.S. workforce, finds the 13th State of Independence in America , MBO Partners’ annual deep dive into the size, sentiments, and demographics of the American independent workforce. ?

This surge in the number of independents, up 89% from 2020, can be attributed to growing supply, a fundamental shift in work preferences as top talent prefer the autonomy, flexibility, better health, and higher pay that comes with working independently, but also a growing demand, with enterprise organizations leveraging the power of independent labor, as well as the ease of enablement, as the number of tools and platforms that support these workers both proliferating and growing easier to use.

As a leader in your enterprise, you need to ensure that you won’t miss out on top talent. This is why you must prioritize integrating independent talent in your current and future workforce mix.

High earners, the segment of full-time independents earning more than $100,000 annually, now totals 4.6 million workers, up 5% year over year and more than 53% since 2020. All core measures point that independents are looking to remain self-employed, from satisfaction with work and income to overall “thrive” metrics such as happiness and feelings of health and financial security.

As enterprise leaders, one may wonder how to best attract and retain this talent. Since independents are more likely to use online platforms to find work than ever, your brand must be visible to them, and you must adopt a direct sourcing strategy in acquiring talent.

Talent platforms – proprietary or white-labeled – have grown increasingly popular amongst independent workers and, if year-over-year growth is any indicator, will continue to gain popularity as platforms reach greater functionality and pervasiveness amongst enterprises. ?

The key takeaway? If your organization doesn’t already have an independent talent strategy in place, now is the time to add to the 2024 roadmap, or risk being left behind.

Want to know more? Download the full State of Independence in America today.

Today’s issue was guest-authored by Vice President of Marketing McLean Robbins .

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