Key Takeaways:
- Contingent work offers financial resilience: 86% of contingent workers view gig work as providing similar or greater financial stability compared to salaried roles, with 47% believing they can earn more.
- Workers prioritize flexibility and earnings: When choosing staffing agencies, workers value higher earnings (73%), scheduling flexibility (64%), and faster payouts (55%), with 73% preferring daily payments.
- 1099 classification preferred for independence: Workers are twice as likely to prefer independent contractor status (1099) due to the independence (51%) and flexibility (25%) it offers.
Many contingent workers view their work as a stable, reliable source of income, and one that often provides more flexibility and higher earnings than a salaried job.
Based on a survey of more than 500 contingent workers, Branch’s new State of Gig & Staffing Report found that 86% of workers believe contingent work offers the same amount of financial resilience as a salaried role, if not more. Nearly half (47%) of the respondents said they can potentially earn more in gig and staffing work.
Whether for the potential earnings or greater flexibility, many respondents are permanently moving away from traditional employment and embracing contingent work. Three-quarters (75%) of respondents reported that gig or staffing work makes up at least half of their primary income, and 38% plan to make this type of work their full-time employment in the future.
What workers look for in a staffing agency
An important part of gig and staffing work is deciding what agency or platform to work with, and respondents generally prioritized those that allowed them to earn more, faster.
- Higher earnings (73%), scheduling flexibility (64%), and faster payouts (55%) were the top priorities when evaluating staffing agencies and platforms.
- Workers said earning potential (76%), convenience (58%), and upcoming expenses (56%) were most likely to motivate them to take on more work.
- Almost 70% of respondents said they’d pick a company that could pay them instantly over one that couldn’t.
- Nearly three in four (73%) contingent workers said they prefer to be paid every day.
- Close to 90% of respondents believed mobile applications are important, allowing them to easily pick up shifts and track hours.
However, most contingent workers don’t stick with just one agency or platform — 78% said they engage with two or more to help diversify their income streams.
1099 preferred for independence, flexibility
When it comes to what worker classification contingent employees prefer, respondents were twice as likely to prefer an independent contractor designation, while 24% based their preference on potential earnings and benefits, and 29% had no preference. Independence (51%) and flexibility (25%) were the most common reasons workers leaned toward 1099 classification, while earning potential (35%), benefits (19%), and work continuity (19%) influenced a preference for W-2 classification.
Download the full Gig & Staffing Report for more insights on contingent worker preferences and trends.
