Flexible Work Expands as Broader Market Stabilizes

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New data from Instawork, a leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, shows that flexible work activity has continued to strengthen in early 2026 despite slower permanent hiring across the broader job market. Demand for flexible labor has grown fastest in logistics-driven markets in the South and Northeast, with hospitality, wholesale, retail, warehousing, and other essential operations leading the way.

Why it matters

The expansion of flexible work arrangements highlights how businesses are adapting to meet labor needs without adding permanent headcount, while also providing economic opportunities for workers facing affordability pressures. This trend reflects broader shifts in the job market and the growing role of technology-enabled flexible work platforms.

The details

Instawork's data shows that filled shift volume grew at a double-digit rate in January 2026 compared to the previous year, even as permanent hiring has slowed. The company's wage index also rose, indicating measured upward movement. The strongest demand was concentrated in hospitality, wholesale and retail, transportation, warehousing and events, with especially robust growth in logistics-driven markets across the South and Northeast.

• In January 2026, filled shift volume grew at a double-digit rate compared to January 2025.
• Instawork's wage index rose to 52 in January 2026, up from 50 in January 2025.