Upwork

Upwork’s January Hiring Report is live. 📊 TLDR: AI adoption is accelerating alongside continued investment in core human work. January hiring data from Upwork shows month-over-month growth across both AI-enabled and human-centered skills, including: • Personal & Professional Coaching (+80% MoM) • AI & Machine Learning (+54% MoM) • Interior & Trade Show Design (+34% MoM) • Data Mining & Management (+30% MoM) Higher-value $1,000+ contracts also increased across AI and business skills, with small and midsize businesses driving a 327% MoM increase in AI & Machine Learning hiring. Learn more about the skills companies are hiring for across the Upwork marketplace. 👉 http://spr.ly/6040hKbfn

AI isn’t replacing work. It’s reshaping it, and the data proves it. Despite rapid AI adoption, demand for human skills remains strong. This is recomposition, not replacement, and it matters for how we build teams and careers next. 👉  The data may change how you think about AI and work

Upwork’s in-demand skills for 2026 just dropped. Discover the skills driving demand across coding, web development, design, creative, and marketing, powered by real marketplace data. Which top skill surprised you the most? Check out the full report 👉 http://spr.ly/6046hHApM #Upwork #FutureOfWork #Freelance

The future of work is moving fast and businesses are already placing their bets. Upwork’s 2026 In-Demand Skills list is dropping soon, spotlighting the roles and capabilities businesses are prioritizing this year. Before we share it, we want to hear from you. 👇 What skills do you think will make the cut in 2026?

From $25 projects to over half a million earned, Expert-Vetted freelancer Andrew Kravchenko has built a career around creating real, lasting impact for his clients—even in the most unpredictable conditions. For businesses, that’s the kind of commitment you can hire with confidence. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6Efeb6R

Employee engagement has fallen sharply from its 2020 peak, with the biggest declines among younger workers. At the same time, expectations around work are changing faster than most organizations are adapting. Upwork research shows that 83% of skilled freelancers say their work positively impacts their well-being, with autonomy and flexibility strongly linked to higher engagement. If engagement is dropping, the issue may not be motivation. It may be how work is designed. So the real question is: what needs to change about the way work is structured to re-engage talent? We’ll go first - more flexible hiring models. Learn more: http://spr.ly/6043hDgGX

Be honest: what’s keeping your workflow together right now? System, mindset, or ritual? Let us know below 👇

Q1 isn’t a warm-up lap, it’s the starting blocks.