For an increasing percentage of American workers, the answer is no.
Working 9 to 5. Is that any way to make a living? For an increasing percentage of American workers, the answer is no. Independent work is hardly a new phenomenon. But according to McKinsey’s 2022 American Opportunity Survey, a full 36 percent of employed respondents—roughly 58 million Americans—identify as independent workers. That’s a significant increase from 2016, when McKinsey research estimated that 27 percent of the workforce was independent.