A new poll shows that gig workers place freedom ahead of other benefits. 

Flexible Work News recently conducted a survey among approximately 100 gig workers, asking them, "What about flex work has most positively impacted your life?" The top response was "freedoms" (36.2%), followed by "finances" (25.5%), "schedule" (24.5%) and "personal" (13.8%).

This result is consistent both with other studies and surveys about gig work and with anecdotal responses from drivers that have been interviewed, such as Seattle Uber driver Jeff Choy.

"I can work on my days off or after work from my full-time job" Choy, an Uber driver, said. "Flexible hours are my No. 1 reason I drive part time."

A 2021 study from Harvard's Business School discovered that 76% of the 808 respondents to a survey said that flexibility was very important to them, while 69% highly valued the opportunity to bring in extra income. According to the report, 10% of respondents said losing flexibility would be the equivalent of taking a 15% pay cut.

In the "Freelancing in America: 2019" survey of 6,000 U.S. workers, 79% of full-time and 76% of part-time freelancers said they joined the flexible workforce environment out of a desire for a flexible schedule and the ability to choose which days and hours that they work. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center study, 49% of current or recent gig workers said that flexibility was a major reason for engaging in the gig economy. According to the study, 52% cited the need to cover a change or loss of income, while 56% said that "wanting to save up extra money" was a major reason for deciding to engage in gig work. 

Other top reasons cited were "wanting to be their own boss," working for fun or as a hobby, and not having many job opportunities available in their area.