Professional contingent workers in high demand to fight talent shortages

Confidence among "independent workers" in the U.S. is higher than ever, thanks in part to technological advances, growth in online talent marketplaces and a skilled talent shortage, according to a report from MBO Partners. The 41 million freelancers, contractors, consultants, temporary or on-call workers MBO classified as independent workers generated $1.28 trillion in revenue for the U.S. economy last year, the company said. In 2019, MBO said these independents have added $1.3 trillion to the economy — the equivalent of Spain's total GDP. "Occasional independents," or the number of Americans supplementing their income with side gigs, rose to 15 million in 2019. The report identified some emerging trends, as well. More than half of full-time independent workers feel more financially secure than they did as full-time employees, and millennials are displacing baby boomers in the independent workforce, according to MBO. Though independents find work mostly by word of mouth, nearly one in three said their other top methods are online talent marketplaces and social media.