Infographic: The Gig Economy Is Growing at a Ridiculous Pace

When’s the last time you stood on a street corner, squinting and waving at passing taxis? A lot of us would prefer to stay inside, tap our smartphones, and book an Uber or a Lyft. Every time we make that decision, the gig economy grows.

How much growth are we talking about? If you’ve ever wanted to see a graph that shows an industry truly taking off, now’s your chance. A new infographic from Jobvite, a recruiting software company, and Column Five, a content marketing agency, looks at the growth of Uber, Airbnb, and Postmates. The infographic uses data from The Aspen Institute, BI Intelligence, a Jobvite study, and internal data from Uber and Airbnb.

Each graph follows the same general shape: a slow, steady increase until 2013 or 2014, and then a rocket to the top of the chart.

The infographic shows that 56 percent of gig economy workers are using the gig economy for a full-time job, which means more time driving for Uber or delivering for Postmates. Jobvite also notes that “the ubiquity of smartphone technology” has increased gig economy demand. When booking an Uber is as simple as tapping your phone, there’s no reason to stand outside and wave at taxis.

The most shocking part of Jobvite’s infographic can be summed up in a single number: 71 percent. That’s the percentage of people who love working in the gig economy. Despite all the controversy surrounding companies like Uber and Airbnb, it appears most people who actually work in the industry are optimistic about its present and future.