According to a recent report by SIA, the global gig economy generated a revenue of $3.8 trillion in 2022, focusing specifically on gig work conducted on a business-to-business (B2B) basis. The research was based on data from 18 countries, representing 90% of global contingent spending. SIA's definition of the gig economy includes temporary workers assigned through staffing agencies, those sourced directly without the involvement of staffing agencies, self-employed individuals without employees (independent contractors), statement-of-work consultants employed by consulting firms, and temporary workers obtained via talent and work services platforms.
Independent contractors were the largest contributors to the gig economy in 2022, accounting for an estimated $1.93 trillion in revenue, which represents 50% of the total revenue. Temporary workers assigned by staffing firms accounted for 14% of the revenue, directly sourced temporary workers (without the involvement of staffing firms) made up 24%, statement-of-work consultants contributed 10%, and temporary workers obtained via talent and work services platforms represented 1%. The remaining portion was categorized as "other temporary workers."
Adam Pode, the director of research for EMEA and APAC, expressed that the gig economy presents significant opportunities for the staffing industry in the coming years. He emphasized that the report will help companies identify where talent pools are located and will aid in various aspects, such as facilitating the discovery of cross-border talent via platforms, assisting independent contractors in finding work and establishing systems for directly hiring individuals.