Frost & Sullivan recently researched the hiring platforms industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Upwork with the 2023 Global New Product Innovation Award. Upwork is the world's largest work marketplace that connects businesses across the globe with independent talent with skills in over 10,000 categories such as copywriting, graphic design, marketing, programming, and artificial intelligence services in over 180 countries.

Upwork became the world's work marketplace after a rebranding in 2015. The company has since evolved from a freelance hiring platform to a trendsetting multi-product work marketplace that supports a broad range of work arrangements. This shift is fueled by Upwork's pioneering offerings, including its Talent Marketplace™, Project Catalog™, Virtual Talent Bench™, Enterprise Suite, an end-to-end solution for full-time hiring, and new artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.

These disruptive solutions make the company a well-rounded marketplace for sourcing, hiring, and engaging remote independent talent and complementing talent gaps global companies are increasingly dealing with in today's dynamic work environment. For example, Upwork's Project Catalog includes thousands of projects in over 300 predefined categories by independent talent that clients can easily browse, purchase, and hire to solve particular business needs. Moreover, Upwork has updated the Project Catalog with a consultation feature. Consultations allow clients to purchase and schedule individual consultations directly with talent and obtain in-depth insights from skilled experts. These advanced services exceed the expectations of the traditional hiring marketplace, allowing talent to build long-term rapport and monetize their skills to generate new business opportunities.

"Upwork's offerings stand apart in the hiring platforms market as they tap into the changing global work and hiring climate," said Ankita Singh, senior industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Upwork is also leading in its market position and has attracted leading brands such as Microsoft, Airbnb, Nestle Health Science, and Nasdaq. These high-profile clients have adopted a flexible workforce model and hire on-demand, independent talent through Upwork. Upwork's growing customer base significantly boosts its credibility and empowers the company to add further value to its offerings.

For this reason, Upwork recently restructured its fee model to a straightforward 10% for freelancers to enhance transparency and competitiveness. This change significantly simplified the previous fee structure, better facilitating payments in the platform.

"Upwork's commitment to delivering value to the hiring and talent communities with changes in its pricing strategy and the transition from a freelance hiring place to a marketplace that supports various work arrangements is well-placed and relevant in the current market," noted Singh.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment (ROI) it gives customers, which, in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. https://www.frost.com/

About Upwork

Upwork is the world's largest work marketplace that connects businesses with independent talent from across the globe. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Our talent community earned over $3.8 billion on Upwork in 2022 across more than 10,000 skills in categories including website & app development, creative & design, customer support, finance & accounting, consulting, and operations. https://www.upwork.com/

Latest data reveals businesses are still in desperate need of content creation, videography and marketing skills in Q3 2023, despite the advance of the AI avalanche. The Fast 50 Q3 2023 report, a quarterly dataset ranking the fastest growing and falling jobs on the platform, analyzed over 277,000 jobs posted by employers to Freelancer.com between July and September 2023. According to the data, the fastest growing freelance jobs by percentage growth in Q3 2023 were mostly writing, content creation and marketing related.

As AI continues to advance, the need for human creativity remains strong. Employers are once again seeking freelancers to support with Creative Writing and Content Writing projects, which are up 22.4% and 19.4% respectively.

A surge in demand for writing skills across the platform means there were more than 10,000 additional writing projects available in Q3 2023, which were already a trending skill evident in the previous quarter.

The Q3 2023 data also indicates a consistent trend in businesses seeking freelance marketing support, with Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%), Videography (up 17.4%) and Telemarketing (up 16.5%) seeing notable growth across the quarter. This aligns with the previous quarter's emphasis on business marketing activities.

“Our Freelancer Fast 50 Report is a forward leading indicator of the skills and expertise businesses need today. Artificial Intelligence is powering a boom in content creation, particularly focusing on writing, marketing and video production skills” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer. “Generative AI is superskilling freelancers and their ability to produce extremely high quality content and faster than ever before. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard have changed the game when it comes to producing and refining written content, while advances in video AI such as Runway Gen-2, HeyGen and Pika Labs means that video production and editing can be done with a click of a button.”

Growth in skills like User Interface / IA (up 17.4% from 3,071 to 3,607) and UX / User Experience (up 13.9% from 1,193 to 1,359) highlight the importance of user-centric design in today's digital landscape.

Data Mining (up 14.9% from 2,374 to 2,728) and Data Processing (up 10% from 11,013 to 12,115) were also amongst the top growing jobs. These skills are often associated with Sales functions and Lead Generation, which are also growing in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. By leveraging freelancers to research leads, businesses can operate more efficiently and focus more on relationship building in the sales process.

Design, Marketing and Video Creation Jobs Lead Year-on-Year Growth

Several skills have surged in demand when comparing Q3 2022 and Q3 2023. Jobs for User Interface (UI) Design have doubled, growing by 101.9% to 3,607 from 1,786 in the same period last year. Search Engine Marketing jobs grew 80.4% (from 1,597 to 2,881) and Videography jumped by 77.1% (from 2,716 to 4,809).

Fastest Falling Jobs of Q3 2023

The recent data highlights a shift in the demand for specific technical skills, which saw a significant increase last year as many tech companies laid off technical staff. There's a noticeable decline in jobs for certain established programming languages and frameworks.

For instance, Matlab and Mathematica saw a 25.1% decrease (from 1,349 to 1,011 jobs). Similarly, projects requiring skills in AngularJS jobs dropped by 23.5% (from 1,722 to 1,318), while those requiring Django experts experienced a decline of 23.4% (from 1,216 to 932). C Programming, C++ Programming, and Python, which were all in-demand skills in Q3 2022, also all decreased on the platform in Q3 2023.

While algorithms remain integral to many processes, there's been a reduction in specialized roles in this domain. This trend is evident in the decrease in demand for Algorithm skills, which saw a decrease of 22.5% (from 1,438 to 1,114 jobs). This might be a consequence of the advent of more intuitive tools and platforms that simplify algorithmic tasks.

Writing Jobs Show No Sign Of Slowing Down

The introduction of highly sophisticated and powerful generative AI tools have led many experts and commentators to predict that skills such as writing will be replaced by AI. However, the latest Fast 50 Q3 data demonstrates that writing jobs are here to stay, as content writing, creative writing, copy typing and ghostwriting jobs increase by more than 20% over the last quarter.

These skills continue to flourish after reporting growth in the previous quarter on Freelancer.com, with Creative Writing ranked as the fastest growing skills in Q2 2023 (up 58%, from 1,868 to 2,961).

An Increase in writing skills for two quarters in a row suggest that businesses are placing more emphasis on content creation by hiring freelancers to write articles and produce creative content.

Copy Typing, the fastest growing skill for Q3’23 (up 28.7% from 6,381 to 8,213) encompasses all types of jobs from data entry to helping write e-books to transcription and typist projects. While technical projects do require degrees and past experience, most copy typing jobs can be performed by freelancers with no prior knowledge, making it a lucrative side hustle for freelancers globally.

AI’s Impact on Whitecollar Jobs

While writing jobs continue to flourish over the past 6 months, there is a need to understand how generative AI will impact jobs and various freelancing skills. In a longform essay titled ‘AI know what you did last summer’ , Freelancer.com CEO Matt Barrie discusses the bleeding edge of AI technology and how he predicts these will go on the shape white-collar jobs. Barrie suggests that to be competitive in a world of AI, workers will need to adapt or move up the stack: “Those in white collar jobs will need to move ‘up the stack’. Illustrators become cinematographers. Writers become editors. Software developers become product managers. Grad students now run a research group.”

Barrie also highlights that there is a major opportunity for freelancers, arguing that AI-powered freelancers will ultimately be the winners as they have the ability to compete against middle class workforces all around the world.

AI’s impact on work productivity is evident in a recent AI study conducted by Freelancer.com which found that in a survey of over 1,300 US workers, a majority of those US workers (75%) are using generative AI tools in their work. One in three (33%) workers are using AI tools all the time in their work, while one quarter of US workers (25%) are using these tools sometimes and one sixth (16%) admit to never using AI at work.

Marketing & Video Production Sustain Growth, Growing Every Quarter in 2023

Marketing and Video Production skills are one of the most in-demand skill categories on the platform, with data showing they’ve now grown every quarter since the beginning of the year. Search Engine Marketing (up 24.1%, from 2,321 to 2,881) ranked as the third fastest growing skill on the platform. Telemarketing (up 16.5%, from 1,054 to 1,228) has grown in Q3 as businesses turn towards more traditional marketing tactics. Sustained growth in different types of marketing skills means there are many opportunities for skilled freelancers to find unique projects on the platform.

As for video production, not only is the skill up quarter-on-quarter, but both Video Production and Videography have almost doubled when compared to the same time last year, up 58.1% and 77.1% respectively.

The surge in freelancer video production jobs can be attributed to the booming demand for online content, especially on platforms like YouTube (up 10.3%, from 1,174 to 1,295 jobs in Q3) and TikTok. As content is a staple in many marketing strategies, businesses are turning to freelancers to help them produce content, boosting this as a potential category for workers.

Businesses Delegating Sales Functions to Freelancers

As found in the Freelancer.com World’s Most Boring Job research, businesses often delegate research heavy tasks to on-demand freelancers. In turn, this allows businesses the ability to operate more efficiently and focus on more impact-based tasks.

A unique trend uncovered in the Fast 50 Q3 2023 shows that businesses are leaning on freelancers to help with the research portion of the sales function. Sales and Lead Generation ranked as some of the fastest growing jobs in the quarter, up 13.3% and 11.4% respectively. Interestingly, Sales and Lead Generation both featured in the top 25 fastest growing jobs in Q2 2023.

Growth in sales and lead generation is an example of how businesses are employing freelancers to help them streamline the sales process. https://www.freelancer.com/

Goodnotes, the beloved digital paper app for note-taking and 2022 iPad App of the Year, unveils Goodnotes 6 today exclusively on Apple's platforms.

By pushing the boundaries of handwriting with new AI-backed features such as Spellcheck and AI Math Assistance, Goodnotes 6 will transform how people interact with information personally and professionally.

Goodnotes is on a mission to remove barriers for ideas and knowledge. Users can have all of their note-taking needs fulfilled inside a single app, whether it's sharing, planning, getting unstuck, inspiring creativity, or learning from other people's insights and materials.

Goodnotes 6 elevates the digital paper experience with its newest features:

AI-powered Spellcheck that instantly corrects handwritten typos in a user's own handwriting

Interactive exam prep materials for SAT and other standardized tests, with built-in hints and AI Math Assistance to identify errors

A new in-app marketplace where users can download new templates, stickers, and digital stationery directly in app

Customizable folders and dynamic templates that allow user to customize the size and color of the digital paper in their notebooks

New pen gestures like Scribble to Erase and Circle to Lasso

"Our team has been enormously excited to reimagine the way people interact with information and bring true innovation to the digital note-taking experience," said Steven Chan, Founder and CEO of Goodnotes. "We're thrilled to finally put Goodnotes 6 in the hands of our users, who we hope will feel the magic of a smarter and more delightful Goodnotes with our new user interface and our industry-first AI handwriting features."

Goodnotes unveils its rebrand alongside the launch of Goodnotes 6, featuring a refreshed brand strategy, visual identity, and updated logo to present the joy and journey of digital note-taking. Goodnotes partnered with Motto, a strategic branding company, for the rebrand.

Goodnotes 6 is free to download on iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and free to use for up to 3 notebooks. The full suite of features can be unlocked with unlimited notebooks for $9.99 USD per year or $29.99 USD as a one-time purchase (local pricing applies).

Existing paid GoodNotes 5 users can continue using GoodNotes 5, or upgrade to Goodnotes 6 at a discount. Goodnotes 6 will continue to be free for educational institutions through Apple School Manager.

On the heels of this Goodnotes 6 release, Goodnotes will continue to invest in and create AI note-taking features that will enhance note-taking itself and allow users to manipulate handwritten and typed information in new ways.

Goodnotes is the leading AI digital paper used by millions of users worldwide. Launched in 2011, Goodnotes started as an improvement to physical paper notes — introducing the ability to take handwritten digital notes, search handwritten text, and organize everything into a digital library. Today, Goodnotes is pioneering generative AI for digital handwriting in the productivity space. Goodnotes was most recently named Apple's 2022 iPad App of the Year.

Leading authority on human performance and workplace well-being, Deb Smolensky, shares her groundbreaking guide to upgrading the human brain in Brain On!: Mental Fitness Strategies for Sharpening Focus, Boosting Energy, and Winning the Workday. The book is on sale now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Amplify Publishing, and more.

According to Smolensky, the single most important technology ever known is inside your head, all you have to do is train it…and she's ready to teach us how.

In Brain On!, Smolensky serves as your coach to retrain your brain through mental fitness strategies that will help you navigate the ever-changing and uncertain world in which we work. As an award-winning, global well-being and engagement practice leader and advisor to numerous Fortune 500 companies, Smolensky knows that just as our muscles need a program to get stronger, our brains need exercises to be more creative, innovative, and healthy.

Leveraging decades of research and hands-on experience in the industry, Smolensky has provided a must-read for anyone looking to manage burnout, reduce stress, and live a life full of joy, engagement, and resilience.

The innovative "brain on" mentality coined by Smolensky rewires your mind to be more energized and alert, creating workforces and individuals that are mentally strong and built to last.

"We often underestimate the strength of the miraculous human brain," writes Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author, "This book dives deep into the prefrontal cortex and reintroduces us with vigor and joy to what is possible when we use our heads with intention."

Whether you are a proactive individual wanting to stay energized, efficient, and fulfilled, or an organizational leader looking to improve your team's culture and environment, this is your guide to training your brain to win the obstacle course that is the workplace.

Brain On!: Mental Fitness Strategies for Sharpening Focus, Boosting Energy, and Winning the Workday is available now via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Amplify Publishing. More information can be found at www.debsmolensky.com.