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The traditional model of working a fixed nine-to-five job for a single employer no longer reflects the reality for a significant portion of today’s workforce. Instead, millions of individuals earn a living by combining multiple sources of income and working independently rather than relying on conventional salaried positions. Although this pattern has existed for many years, it has not been accurately captured in official labor statistics, leaving important gaps in the understanding of modern employment. To gain a clearer picture of the independent workforce and the reasons people choose this type of employment, the McKinsey Global Institute conducted a survey involving approximately 8,000 participants from Europe and the United States. Respondents were asked about all income earned during the previous twelve months, including both their primary occupation and any additional income-generating activities, as well as their job satisfaction and future career goals. The findings, presented in the report Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy, suggest that between 20 and 30 percent of the working-age population in Europe and the United States—up to 162 million people—participate in some form of independent work. Despite their diverse backgrounds, these workers generally fall into four categories: free agents, who willingly depend on independent work as their main source of income; casual earners, who choose it to supplement their regular earnings; reluctants, who rely on independent work but would rather have traditional employment; and the financially strapped, who undertake additional independent work out of economic necessity.