According to a survey in March 2020, 52 percent of worldwide workers in the gig economy have lost their job due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On top of this, another 26 percent had their hours decreased.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Fact and Figures page.

According to a survey in March 2020, just under 52 percent of workers in the gig economy worldwide have no income due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the survey, only two percent reported that their income had increased due to the pandemic.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Fact and Figures page.

According to a survey in March 2020, just under 70 percent of workers in the gig economy worldwide were not satisfied with the support provided by their company during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Fact and Figures page.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Gig Economy market size will be USD 561245.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.20% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 224498.08 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 168373.56 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7% from 2024 to 2031.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 129086.40 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 28062.26 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 11224.90 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.9% from 2024 to 2031.
The transportation-based services category is the fastest growing segment of the Gig Economy industry

Market Dynamics of Gig Economy Market

Key Drivers for Gig Economy Market

Rising Demand for Mobile Platforms and Technology to Boost Market Growth

Gig workers and consumers may communicate easily due to technology and mobile platforms, which are essential to the gig economy's expansion. Due to the proliferation of smartphones and powerful mobile applications, finding a job has become easier, and people can now do so from anywhere at any time. Platforms like Uber, Lyft, Upwork, and DoorDash use algorithms to swiftly pair customers with service providers, improving efficiency and user experience. Additionally, real-time communication, safe payment methods, and customer reviews, all of which foster transparency and trust, are supported by advanced mobile technology. As smartphone usage increases around the world, these platforms provide accessibility to gig employment, broadening the gig economy's reach across various industries and propelling steady industry expansion.

Expansion of E-Commerce and Delivery Services to Drive Market Growth

The gig economy business is mostly driven by the explosive rise of e-commerce and delivery services, which generate a large demand for flexible, on-demand workers. Last-mile delivery is handled by gig workers for e-commerce sites like Amazon and other merchants, meeting customer expectations for quick, easy, and affordable services. Gig workers are also used by food delivery businesses like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub to satisfy the growing demand for quick and flexible meal options. This expansion, which is driven by customer demands for same-day or next-day delivery, is opening up gig worker opportunities in delivery, storage, and logistics, establishing the gig economy as a vital component of the contemporary retail ecosystem.

Restraint Factor for the Gig Economy Market

Lack of Job Security and Benefits Will Limit Market Growth

The gig economy's lack of benefits and job security severely limits its market expansion because many workers see gig workers as less dependable financially than regular jobs. Essential benefits like health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, and unemployment insurance are typically unavailable to gig workers. This may put off prospective participants looking for long-term financial stability. This lack of benefits makes gig employment less desirable for people who value stability because it puts them at risk financially, particularly during recessions or personal health problems. Furthermore, a high turnover rate may have an adverse effect on the dependability and quality of services provided by gig platforms, which may harm consumer trust and reduce the gig economy's appeal as a viable career option.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Gig Economy Market

The gig economy was significantly impacted by COVID-19, which changed demand in a number of industries. Initially, lockdowns caused a spike in the need for gig workers in the restaurant and package delivery industries as e-commerce became indispensable. But there was a sharp fall in industries like ridesha...

As of March 14, 2020, iFood in Brazil announced that deliverers who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, or who went under quarantine would be financially assisted for 14 days. In order to do so, the food delivery app would use a fund created along with an NGO called Ação da Cidadania worth one million Brazilian reals. Meanwhile, Uber announced similar measures for its drivers and deliverers in Brazil.

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, information on NHS staff absence has been published to support transparency and understanding of NHS activity and capacity. Figures show the number and percentage of NHS staff absent due to COVID-19 related illness, self-isolation or otherwise by date. The data are taken from management information and are subject to change. They have not been subject to the same validation processes undertaken for official statistics releases.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2020, approximately 66.7 percent of companies in the finance and insurance as well as arts, sports, and recreation related industries supported working from home in reaction to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Korea. The share of companies allowing working from home was high in the industries in which remote work was possible, such as finance and insurance, education, and telecommunications. Over 60 percent of large companies in South Korea implemented or were planning to support working from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 Change spurred by the pandemic

Survey results showed that Korean employees were calling for more flexibility in their working conditions for at least a few years. The unprecedented circumstances brought about by COVID-19 have forced the hand of companies into allowing remote work to protect both their employees and their business. Company dinners, widely considered an integral yet stress-inducing facet of company life in South Korea, were largely reduced as part of various policy changes enacted by companies during the pandemic.

 Economic hardships 

Gig workers have been hit hard by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many having lost their jobs, and in turn their primary source of income. Even employees that were able to keep their job have resorted to other means to make up for their decreased income. With the global economy dipping downwards, the role of governments and policy makers will be more important than ever.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, online delivery orders surged in the United States. Up to 70 percent of grocery shoppers purchased non perishable packaged foods like cereals or sneaks on the internet in 2021, while they were only 58 percent in 2017. More than half of respondents also adopted online shopping for fresh and frozen foods, as well as drinks.

The online grocery craze One of the most visible shifts in U.S. consumer demand and behavior after the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen in regard to grocery shopping. Since April 2020, grocery delivery and pick up sales remained well above five billion dollars per month. Particularly among older generations, consumers seemed keen on buying groceries online in the future, as they did during the pandemic.

Food delivery: a tale of two sides Not only the amount and type of food that U.S. customers buy and sometimes stockpile has shifted, but also the preferred avenues. Around one-third of surveyed shoppers indicate a willingness to keep using Amazon Fresh or DoorDash to have food home delivered. Other widely chosen options include local grocery stores, chain restaurants, and online grocery sites. In return, app downloads of online grocery delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Instacart are surging.

But while these services offer customers a safe and flexible alternative to jammed grocery stores or restaurants, companies like Instacart also face criticism for their treatment of delivery workers. As couriers are hired as gig workers instead of employees, they do not receive sick pay or other health benefits. Seeing that these contractors have worked on the frontlines of the pandemic, their lack of financial and physical protection remains an ongoing point of contention.

In 2023, the Indian online food delivery market was worth 7.4 billion U.S. dollars. The delivery market was expected to grow and reach 24 billion U.S. dollars in 2026 .

Growth in the online food delivery sector post-COVID-19 Restricted mobility during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns led to the monumental growth in the online food delivery sector in the country. Restaurants and cafes, which did not offer delivery services earlier, had to provide or join food delivery services to stay afloat. However, to sustain this increased influx in revenue post lockdowns, delivery services came up with with customer retention strategies such as pay-later and subscription offers.

Demand for gig employees in online food delivery The rising demand for online food delivery services along with hikes in fuel prices and flat pay led to a shortage in personnel in the delivery sector. Furthermore, about 40 percent of the drivers in leading delivery services like Zomato and Swiggy would quit within a month of joining. Higher wages and transition to electric vehicles could pave the way for retaining gig employees.

In October 2021, the vacancy rate in enterprises in South Korea stood at around 2.8 percent. The driving and transportation sector had the highest vacancy rate at around 6.9 percent, followed by the manufacturing sector at around 5.7 percent. The high rate in these sectors is primarily due to workers finding other jobs through online platforms and becoming gig/platform workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of January 2025, there were around 4.39 million self-employed workers in the United Kingdom. During this provided time-period, self-employment in the UK has grown steadily, from a low of just 3.2 million in December 2000, to a peak of over five million at the start of 2020. After the COVID-19 pandemic, however, self-employment has fallen to levels not seen since the middle of 2015 and has struggled to recover to its pre-pandemic peak. Demographics of the self-employed There has consistently been more men self-employed than women in the UK, with recent figures showing that over 2.8 million men, and over 1.5 million women were self-employed. As of 2024, the most likely age group to be self-employed were those aged 65 or over, with over a third of workers in this age group self-employed. In the same year, around 16.5 percent of workers in London were self-employed, compared with the UK average of 13.1 percent, making London the region with the highest rate of self-employment in the UK. Self-employment support scheme In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government unveiled various measures to mitigate the economic costs to businesses and individuals. For self-employed workers, this manifested itself as the Self-Employment Income-Support Scheme, which was in its third iteration, or tranche, by December 2020. During the first tranche, which ran from March to July, there were 2.7 million claims made in total, with claims to the second and third tranches numbering 2.4 million and 1.7 million respectively. As of December 13, 2020, the overall value of these claims amounted to 14.5 billion British pounds.

According to a 2020 survey, about 46 percent of American freelancers who have participated in work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic stated that a previous client is a main source of finding more freelance work. This figure stood at 36 percent for freelancers who paused their freelance work during the COVID-19 pandemic.