Upwork Predicts “A New Era of Work”

Upwork predicts “a new era of work”, shifting focus from on-demand hiring to on-demand outcomes. The freelance platform notes that the concept of a “job” is evolving from routine to fluid, from local to global, and from permanent to contract-based and freelance.

Upwork rival Fiverr has published similar findings, suggesting hiring freelancers is on the rise. A few of its recent surveys indicate companies no longer turn to freelancers only for temporary projects or small, one-time tasks but consider them part of their teams and rely on their expertise to boost productivity.

Upwork explained that, historically, businesses treated hiring on its platform like shopping at a supermarket: employers provided the recipe and came to Upwork to gather the ingredients – the right talent – to create their “meal.” While some clients still prefer this traditional approach, Upwork noticed more businesses would “rather sit down at a restaurant and be served a complete meal,” suggesting reliance and trust in independent talent is increasing.

Upwork launched its “Mindful AI” tool, Uma, earlier this year. Uma acts as an intelligent work companion for both employers and talent. It helps businesses “move from idea to execution faster than ever” and enables freelancers to maximize their earnings potential.

Uma is particularly beneficial for clients who want the “full-service” experience and use Upwork’s talent pool to fill skills gaps and support their operations in the long run.

“We’re moving into a skills-based economy, where what truly matters is not our job titles but the skills and talents we each bring to the table. More and more, businesses of all sizes are looking for professionals who can deliver real results using cutting-edge technology, and they’re willing to pay a premium for that expertise,” Upwork’s CEO Hayden Brown explains.

Business leaders find it challenging to adapt and innovate in the current state of disruption and uncertainty. On the one hand, they need to get the work done quickly and within budget. At the same time, they struggle to find the right talent to execute their goals. Upwork sees the solution in hiring independent talent and leveraging AI.

“Today, we are building a future where customers are not simply hiring freelancers to deliver incredible work – they’re getting complete work outcomes on-demand, right on Upwork,” Brown emphasizes.

In contrast, Upwork’s recent survey unveiled that most employees feel AI has increased their workload, highlighting the importance of proper training and adoption strategies.