Contrary to the Hype: The Real Trends in Nontraditional Work
The Conference Board uses cookies to improve our website, enhance your experience, and deliver relevant messages and offers about our products. Detailed information on the use of cookies on this site is provided in our cookie policy. For more information on how The Conference Board collects and uses personal data, please visit our privacy policy. By continuing to use this Site or by clicking "OK", you consent to the use of cookies. 

Contrary to the Hype: The Real Trends in Nontraditional Work

October 25, 2018 | Report

Business executives may be under the impression that the share of nontraditional workers in the US labor force (independent contractors, temporary help workers, or those hired by outsourcing firms) is growing fast. However, this study finds that the hype about the growth of this segment of the workforce is out of line with hard data. The share of nontraditional workers may be no different than it was twenty years ago. However, the emergence of online labor platforms—though they currently represent a tiny share of total hours worked in the US economy—may present new opportunities for businesses to meet labor demands.

Radical Growth in the Nontraditional Workforce: Fact or Fiction?

Business executives may be under the impression that the share of nontraditional workers in the US labor force (independent contractors, temporary help workers, or those hired by outsourcing firms) is growing fast—and fear they are not keeping up with the trend of hiring more of these workers. These concerns did not appear out of the blue: studies in recent years promoted the impression of a growing nontraditional workforce, as did the emergence of online labor platforms such as Upwork, TaskRabbit, and Amazon Mechanical Turk.

However, this study finds that the hype about the growth of the nontraditional workforce is out of line with hard data. It turns out that in 2017, the share of nontraditional workers was no different than it was twenty years ago. While the number of people earning income through online labor market platforms is growing, except for the transportation sector, these platforms represent a tiny share of income and total hours worked in the US economy.

The case for employing nontraditional workers is not new. Nontraditional work offers employers the flexibility to coordinate the right number of workers with the right amount of work when needed, increasing productivity and lowering costs. (A companion piece, Nontraditional Workers: The Hype, CHRO Predictions, and Impact to Your Workforce, discusses how some businesses have attracted, managed, and engaged nontraditional workers to gain the most value from this segm

This publication is exclusive to members of The Conference Board.
For information about membership click here.

AUTHORS

GadLevanon, PhD

Former Vice President, Labor Markets
The Conference Board

ElizabethCrofoot

Former Senior Economist, Committee for Economic Development
The Conference Board

BrianSchaitkin

Former Senior Economist
The Conference Board


OTHER RELATED CONTENT

RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

Business & Economics Portfolio

Business & Economics Portfolio

October 03, 2024 | Database

Recession & Growth Trackers

Recession & Growth Trackers

September 30, 2024 | Database

Global LEI Report

Global LEI Report

September 30, 2024 | Report

WEBCASTS

Economy Watch

Economy Watch

November 13, 2024

Labor Markets Watch

Labor Markets Watch

November 20, 2024

Window On

Window On

November 26, 2024

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

People First: Strategic Transformation

People First: Strategic Transformation

May 15 - 16, 2025 | (Brooklyn, NY)

2025:  A Year In Preview

2025: A Year In Preview

February 04 - 05, 2025 | (New York, NY)

hubCircleImage