Upwork's December Hiring Report indicates businesses are prioritizing operational roles amidst economic uncertainty, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises.
Quiver AI Summary
Upwork Inc. has published its December Monthly Hiring Report, indicating a significant shift towards operational hiring as businesses brace for potential volatility in 2026. The report, based on over one million job postings and a monthly survey, highlights a trend where less than one-third of business leaders viewed macro conditions favorably. Operational roles, particularly in project management, have seen a 23% increase in demand, driven mainly by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). In contrast, hiring in areas related to experimentation, such as ecommerce development and branding, experienced a decline, explained by typical year-end budget adjustments. Additionally, as the focus moves to practical and reliable execution, certain AI-enabled skills like Python and video editing became highly demanded, reflecting the current priorities of companies in navigating their workforce needs amidst uncertainty.
Potential Positives
- Upwork's December Monthly Hiring Report indicates a strategic shift toward operational roles, reflecting a focus on effective execution in uncertain macro conditions, enhancing the company's relevance in the job market.
- Hiring demand for operational roles on the Upwork Marketplace showed significant growth, particularly in Project Management, indicating a strong reliance on Upwork's platform for skilled talent in critical business functions.
- The report highlights substantial month-over-month hiring increases among small and medium-sized businesses, suggesting that Upwork is well-positioned to cater to this vital sector of the economy.
- Upwork's emphasis on AI-enabled skills like Python and ChatGPT in the report underscores its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the workforce landscape.
Potential Negatives
- Hiring trends indicate a significant decline in demand for roles associated with experimentation and expansion, such as Ecommerce Development and Marketing, suggesting businesses are prioritizing stability over growth during uncertain times.
- The report reveals that fewer than one in three business leaders view macro conditions as favorable, indicating a pessimistic outlook that may affect future hiring and business investment.
FAQ
What does the December Monthly Hiring Report reveal?
The report shows a shift towards operational roles as businesses adapt to uncertain macro conditions ahead of 2026.
Which roles experienced the highest demand in December?
Project Management, Accounting & Bookkeeping, and Virtual Admin Assistance saw significant increases in hiring demand.
How are small and medium-sized businesses adapting their hiring strategies?
SMBs are increasingly hiring for operational roles to maintain productivity without taking on fixed risks, reflecting a focus on execution.
What impact did year-end budget resets have on hiring trends?
Some categories tied to experimentation, such as Ecommerce Development and Marketing, saw month-over-month declines due to seasonal planning.
What are the most in-demand AI-enabled skills mentioned in the report?
Skills like Python, Video Editing, Graphic Design, and Machine Learning are highlighted as highly sought after in December.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$UPWK Insider Trading Activity
$UPWK insiders have traded $UPWK stock on the open market 33 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 33 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $UPWK stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- HAYDEN BROWN (President & CEO) has made 0 purchases and 13 sales selling 625,914 shares for an estimated $11,558,660.
- DAVE BOTTOMS (GM, Marketplace) has made 0 purchases and 11 sales selling 58,876 shares for an estimated $1,083,881.
- ERICA GESSERT (Chief Financial Officer) has made 0 purchases and 5 sales selling 55,303 shares for an estimated $925,696.
- GARY STEELE sold 12,500 shares for an estimated $218,848
- OLIVIER MARIE (Chief Accounting Officer) has made 0 purchases and 3 sales selling 3,921 shares for an estimated $54,541.
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$UPWK Revenue
$UPWK had revenues of $201.7M in Q3 2025. This is an increase of 4.1% from the same period in the prior year.
You can track UPWK financials on Quiver Quantitative's UPWK stock page.
$UPWK Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 142 institutional investors add shares of $UPWK stock to their portfolio, and 135 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- BOSTON PARTNERS added 2,060,356 shares (+785.7%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $38,260,810
- BLACKROCK, INC. added 1,801,199 shares (+18.5%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $33,448,265
- T. ROWE PRICE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC. removed 1,759,349 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $32,671,110
- CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS removed 1,598,007 shares (-40.1%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $29,674,989
- INVENOMIC CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP added 1,334,541 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $24,782,426
- MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT LLC removed 1,323,489 shares (-69.8%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $24,577,190
- RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC removed 983,400 shares (-35.3%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $18,261,738
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$UPWK Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $UPWK in the last several months. We have seen 6 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
- Goldman Sachs issued a "Buy" rating on 11/19/2025
- Canaccord Genuity issued a "Buy" rating on 11/19/2025
- UBS issued a "Buy" rating on 11/19/2025
- Citizens issued a "Market Outperform" rating on 11/19/2025
- Needham issued a "Buy" rating on 11/19/2025
- JMP Securities issued a "Market Outperform" rating on 09/24/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for $UPWK, check out Quiver Quantitative's $UPWK forecast page.
$UPWK Price Targets
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $UPWK recently. We have seen 12 analysts offer price targets for $UPWK in the last 6 months, with a median target of $24.0.
Here are some recent targets:
- Brent Thill from Jefferies set a target price of $27.0 on 01/05/2026
- Maria Ripps from Canaccord Genuity set a target price of $24.0 on 11/19/2025
- Bernie McTernan from Needham set a target price of $25.0 on 11/19/2025
- Eric Sheridan from Goldman Sachs set a target price of $28.0 on 11/19/2025
- Joshua Chan from UBS set a target price of $24.0 on 11/19/2025
- Matthew Condon from Citizens set a target price of $27.0 on 11/19/2025
- Rohit Kulkarni from Roth Capital set a target price of $22.0 on 11/05/2025
Full Release
PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upwork Inc . (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, today released its December Monthly Hiring Report , revealing a clear shift toward hiring focused on operational execution as businesses prepare for a potentially volatile start to 2026. The report draws from more than 1 million job posts in the U.S. on the Upwork Marketplace annually and a monthly business pulse survey from the Upwork Research Institute . It offers a real-time view of how businesses are hiring in the digital knowledge work market, which is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2028. 1
With fewer than one in three business leaders describing macro conditions as favorable in December, 2 hiring activity on Upwork shows companies narrowing their strategic focus to roles that help them execute with precision rather than build or experiment with new systems.
Top Hiring Insights: December 2025
Operational roles led hiring growth in December to shore up planning and execution amid rising uncertainty. Demand on the Upwork Marketplace rose for:
- Project Management: +23%
- Accounting & Bookkeeping: +15%
-
Virtual Admin Assistance: +3%
Meanwhile, some categories tied to experimentation and expansion cooled on a short-term basis, reflecting typical year-end budget resets and seasonal planning cycles rather than broader, structural shifts in demand. Hiring on the Upwork Marketplace declined for:
- Ecommerce Development: -56% month-over-month, but +14% year-over-year
- Branding & Logo Design: -17% month-over-month, but +21% year-over-year
-
Marketing, PR & Brand Strategy: -15% month-over-month, but +43% year-over-year
Hiring in December was driven by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Among SMBs, hiring for Project Management rose 70% month-over-month, while SMB demand also increased for Virtual Assistance (+18%) and Accounting & Bookkeeping (+9%), a sign that smaller firms in particular are relying on flexible talent to stay productive and maintain business momentum without taking on fixed risk.
“In uncertain macro conditions, execution matters, and we're seeing that shift most clearly among small and medium-sized businesses,” said Anthony Kappus, chief operating officer at Upwork. “They have less room for error and are driving demand for operational roles like project management, using flexible talent to get operations tight and keep projects moving.”
“Additionally, after months of momentum in AI building and adoption, December hiring points to a more pragmatic phase,” said Teng Liu, economist at the Upwork Research Institute. “Demand is concentrated around skills that support coordination, quality control, and reliable execution in everyday operations.”
Most In-Demand AI-Enabled Skills in December 2025
- Python
- Video editing
- Graphic design
- ChatGPT
- AI-generated video
- Data entry (new)
- Virtual admin assistance (new)
- Machine learning
- Web design (new)
- Adobe Photoshop
For more insights from the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, visit upwork.com/research .
About The Upwork Monthly Hiring Report
The Upwork Monthly Hiring Report is designed to provide an early signal of broader shifts in how business leaders are hiring in real-time and aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of hiring trends in the U.S. labor market with a focus on the independent talent economy. The report draws from more than 1 million job posts in the U.S. on the Upwork Marketplace annually and a monthly business pulse survey from the Upwork Research Institute. It offers a real-time view of how businesses are hiring in the digital knowledge work market, which is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2028.
1
Methodology
Upwork Marketplace data reflects month-over-month (MoM) changes based on new contract activity in the U.S. from December 1–31, 2025, compared with November 1–30, 2025. Year-over-year (YoY) comparisons reflect changes in new contract activity compared with the same period in the prior year. High-value work is defined as contracts of at least $1,000. Top freelance skills are based on new contract activity in the U.S. from December 1–31, 2025. Client size data are based on self-reported and/or estimated information and may be subject to revision.
About Upwork Inc.
Upwork Inc.’s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond.
Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at upwork.com and follow on LinkedIn , Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , and X ; and learn more about Lifted at go-lifted.com and follow on LinkedIn .
Contact:
Christine Lee
[email protected]
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1
Estimated 2028 market size from Upwork Market Study, a commissioned third-party study that estimates the size of the flexible digital knowledge work market based on data from, among other sources, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, World Bank, and International Labour Organization (October 2025).
2
December Business Pulse Survey from the Upwork Research Institute.
