Upwork is an essential tool for scaling your small business, here’s why

Upwork is an incredible place to find in a wide variety of disciplines, from and to . While that may be apparent immediately, even if you have yet to use the platform to find support, what’s not evident is just how essential it can be. It’s more than a solution to find new, freelance, and short-term hires. It also gives you all the tools to communicate, collaborate, and manage those professionals for however long you maintain a working relationship. More importantly, those integrated tools help you save time and money as a business owner by providing it all in one convenient place, effectively and securely. Let’s explore why it’s so essential and why you should be using Upwork yourself if you’re not already.

Upwork is your quintessential ally in the digital age

Forget for a moment that Upwork exists. We know it’s a strange request, but hear us out. If you wanted to find top-notch talent, traditionally, you’d have to post the job offer, sift through applicants, conduct interviews, measure team synergies to make sure they’re a good fit, and then spearhead the administrative tasks like signing agreements, arranging payments, and so on. Logistically, so much goes into that process, and that’s before you even start a project or begin collaborating. Then, you have to arrange collaboration and communication tools, find ways to track the task or project’s progress, and, on a basic level, manage the freelancer by keeping them on task and within deadlines.

Upwork makes all of that so much simpler.

• It unifies all administrative processes by merging them into one convenient platform.
• You can access a wide range of high-quality talent with over 12 million freelancers outside your local market.
• You’ll get seamless communication and collaboration tools to chat, video call, or share files all from within Upwork.
• A built-in payment system offers improved security for clients and freelancers alike. Manage all of your payments in one place.
• Time tracking and reporting solutions allow you to see and manage billable hours and performance.
• An advanced algorithmic and AI-driven Best Match system ensures you’re matched with freelancers and professionals who best fit your project.

But here’s the best part: Upwork allows you to save time and money by tapping into the vast talent pool of freelancers without the standard overhead of hiring full-time employees.

You can find precisely who you need, when you need them, and retain their services for as long as you need them. It’s as straightforward as that.

It’s no surprise that so many business owners are turning to Upwork to find top-tier talent.

How does this help scale your business?

As a small to medium-sized operation, it stands to reason that you don’t have the same resources as a large organization, and you probably never will. But that doesn’t mean you cannot compete on the same stage and succeed — quite the opposite. Upwork is an exceptional solution, providing you access to such a vast array of talented and capable professionals without the excessive costs of hiring them full-time. You can also find talent outside your usual bubble, meaning outside of your local market, which means you get many more opportunities to scale and grow your business than you would otherwise.

Imagine bringing on a highly skilled developer from across the world who could transform your workflows. New, inspired website designs, software that offers an unprecedented boost in customer experience and usability, or sales and marketing teams that think outside the box. These are all very real possibilities, and with Upwork, they’re merely a few clicks away.

How to get started on Upwork

Upwork is intuitive and user-friendly. .

First, if you don’t already have one. Then, post jobs or opportunities you have available, which are published on Upwork’s open marketplace. Professionals will send you proposals if they think they’re a good fit; meanwhile, the advanced Upwork algorithms will shortlist candidates who best match the opportunity.

Before you greenlight any work, you can review every professional who submits a proposal, including their profiles, portfolios of prior work, and professional reviews from other businesses and entrepreneurs. You can also browse similar projects they’ve worked on, check and review their qualifications, or schedule a chat or video interview within the Upwork platform.

After you sign with a professional, you’ll get an exclusive online space to manage the project. Here, you can securely upload or receive relevant files, communicate with your new hire, give valuable feedback, and even make payments. There’s a mobile app with full access to all platform features if you’re always on the go.

Why wait? Top-tier talent is just a few clicks away

Upwork is a fantastic opportunity for any small or medium business looking to scale and optimize operations with top-tier talent. Beyond that, a host of functional support features make managing freelancers easier than ever. Typically, you’d have a lot to manage when hiring freelancers, but that’s not the case here. Upwork gives you all the tools to collaborate, manage, and engage, including onboard communication solutions, secure payment options, and much more. Get the help you need without the overhead costs of hiring full-time staff.

If you’ve been thinking about kickstarting some new projects but don’t have the talent on hand to do so, now’s an excellent time to explore Upwork. Why wait any longer than you have to? It could be just the move your business needs to breathe new life.