The Future is Freelance: The New Way of Working in Today’s Market

Disruption Staff

There’s no question the way we work is changing. 

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in changes many of us never thought possible, from remote work and collaboration, to automation. While it’s true the pandemic led to dramatic transformations that would have otherwise taken years, the fact is these labour market trends had already begun to take shape long before the pandemic ever came knocking at our doors. 

But now, with so many more employers recognizing the benefits of using independent talent to reach their goals, and so many more workers benefiting from the freelance lifestyle, there’s simply no turning back.

It’s why Upwork’s goal is for 100% of companies to have freelance talent on their teams in the future. 

“More and more companies are recognizing that independent talent is a vital part of the workforce and the solution to many business challenges,” says Margaret Lilani, Upwork Vice President of Talent Solutions. “We’re seeing that the most successful organisations are embracing independent talent at scale and building dedicated and highly engaged freelance talent benches to achieve growth.”

According to Upwork’s internal company data, 79 per cent of the platform’s clients who increased their freelancer hiring in 2020 said the increase is permanent. And of the 20 million people who gave freelancing a try in 2020, 60 per cent said you couldn’t pay them enough to take a fulltime job. 

Freelancing is not just a niche market anymore. Some of the world’s biggest, most forward-looking companies are using Upwork to source independent talent, including approximately half of all Fortune 500 companies. These companies are reporting an average of 30 per cent cost-savings and can typically complete a hire on Upwork in just a few days. And they’re using the platform to complete major projects in ways they never thought possible, thanks to the platform’s impressive ranks of professional independent talent boasting more than 10,000 skills. 

Amway, a global direct sales company located in over 100 countries and territories, harnessed that power to develop an impressive video series featuring Amway Business Owners in five major markets. Getting global representation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic meant a radical rethinking of how to approach production, and that disruption created an opportunity. Using Upwork, Amway’s Lead Art Director, Adrienne Young, was connected with impressive talent around the world to build a truly hybrid team, all from in front of her computer in Michigan.

Amway worked with Upwork’s account representatives to develop a creative brief and determine precisely the type of talent they needed, from an executive producer to videographers on the ground. Soon, the project had momentum.

“It led to certainty in an uncertain time,” Young told Upwork’s 2021 Work Without Limits conference. 

The first completed video created a buzz across Amway’s head offices as other leaders across the company began to take notice of the potential Upwork’s work marketplace held. 

But freelance talent isn’t just for special projects—it can help complement your teams as part of your core business. Singularity University tapped into Upwork’s global talent pool by unleashing its potential to help access specialized marketing talent faster. The addition of hybrid teams to the organization meant they were able to engage in more experimentation, while exposing their ranks to new talent and skills they may not have been able to otherwise. Soon, it wasn’t just marketing looking to Upwork—teams across SingularityU, from lead generation to software development, began exploring its benefits.

The fact is, Upwork’s freelancers are dependable, talented and educated—about 73 per cent of freelancers on the platform have a college degree. They’re driven and hardworking professionals building businesses in a dynamic labour market, enjoying the flexibility and freedom that comes with freelancing while doing the work they’re most passionate about. 

Morgan Overholt, a freelance graphic designer, credits Upwork as the “secret ingredient” that helped launch her graphic design agency after quitting her salaried job in 2017. When she left full-time work, she had some clients lined up, but not enough to bring in stable, dependable income. But within three months of joining Upwork, she was earning more than she ever had working full time. 

“Pursuing a life of freelancing and entrepreneurship is the best decision I’ve ever made,” says Overholt. It’s given her the education and financial backing to cultivate a strong business and launch additional lines of work, including travel and tourism websites HeyOrlando.com and TheSmokies.com

Today, 100 per cent of her freelance business comes from ongoing client relationships and referrals. “I think one under-appreciated benefit of freelance is how it forces you to think like an entrepreneur and a business owner,” she says. 

And she enjoys more stability as a freelancer now—something that hit home hard when the pandemic struck. “When you are someone’s employee, you depend on them for everything. It’s like having all of your eggs in one basket. With freelance, and Upwork, my income is much more diversified.”