For example, 24 percent of informal workers in the EIWA survey indicated that contingent work had offset their spells of unemployment, loss of working hours, loss of benefits, or frozen wages in their formal employment “very much” or “somewhat.” In addition, three-fourths of Uber drivers say that the greater control over their work schedules that Uber allows has made their lives better.12 However, there are likely many workers who would prefer regular full-time traditional work to contingent work, particularly if much of the power in determining hours worked in alternative work arrangements belongs to the employer.
Technological advances have enabled firms to use justin-time strategies for their employees, making them in effect on-call workers. This is a rising trend in industries such as retail and food preparation.