Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud
    • Development
    • IT Management
    • Mobile

    Trends in Freelancing in the Era of Digital Transformation

    Written by

    eWEEK Staff
    Published April 1, 2020
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Digital transformation has been a buzzword and a reality among the enterprise community for several years, with many companies investing in cutting-edge technology to become more agile and efficient. With its potential benefits, digital transformation is not tomorrow’s strategy but is a real and critical need now. However, this transition requires specialized IT skills that are challenging to find in light of today’s tight labor market.

      In order for enterprises to stay abreast of their competitors, they need to have a pulse on what the IT workforce looks like today and what their teams will need in five to 10 years to prepare and retain talent.

      As an on-demand, online talent platform, Upwork has a bird’s-eye view of how the workforce is evolving. Tech is the largest category on the platform (everything from mobile development to information security and network admin), and executives are seeing a lot of demand driven by digital transformation initiatives.

      In this eWEEK Data Points article, Upwork Vice President of Engineering and Product Mike Paylor offers five freelancing workforce trends to watch and what they reveal about the larger tech industry.

      Data 1: Distributed Teams

      At this critical moment in the talent war, “location” should not be an obstacle for hiring. According to Upwork’s Future Workforce Report, younger-generation managers are 28% more likely than their Baby Boomer counterparts to include remote workers on their teams. Additionally, with the current attempts to contain the spread of COVID-19, we are seeing early signs that this could accelerate businesses adjusting to allow for distributed work. Teams that put the right infrastructure and processes in place to be remote will not only have a competitive advantage for talent, but will be set up for success when it comes to longer term talent strategy. By not confining your business to a specific location, it opens the door to a larger and diverse talent pool, as well as unlocks more economic opportunities.

      Data Point 2: Upskilling With Independent Professionals

      With an evolving skills gap, enterprise companies are needing to look for unique ways to attract and retain the right talent. One way is to implement internal programs that provide current employees with education and new training to reskill. Another option is to hire external independent professionals who are equipped with the specific skills employers are looking for. Independent workers recognize that they are business owners and, as such, they are more inclined to refine and grow their skills to stay competitive. According to Upwork’s “Freelancing in America” survey, “independent professionals are twice as likely as employees to have done skills training in the previous 6 months.”

      Data Point 3: An Increase in Cloud Experts

      To understand what enterprises are prioritizing in terms of technology, just take a look at Upwork’s ranking of the 100 fastest-growing skills for freelancers. You’ll find that the current ranking shows that skills focused on the enterprise cloud are in high demand. This surge in demand indicates digital transformation is a real and strategic imperative for businesses. It also underscores that C-suite leaders are embracing cloud-based platforms as critical to the company. Ranking includes job listings with: Amazon Web Services (AWS) (#15), Microsoft Azure (#34) and Google Cloud Platform (#94).

      Data Point 4: DevOps

      Upwork’s ranking of the top 100 trending skills for independent professionals also proves the idea that in order for businesses to maintain a competitive edge, they should prioritize DevOps skills (#31) into their strategy. Today, enterprises undergoing an all-in digital transformation will need to fill this skill set and embrace the collaboration between software development and IT teams in order to produce products more efficiently and solve critical issues quicker. Ultimately, these skills pave the way for more automation and flexibility when it comes to internal business processes.

      Data Point 5: Open Source

      Those developers with skills in open source, .NET Core (#1) and Kubernetes (#22) are among the most sought after. This trend demonstrates that open source is being adopted by enterprises and businesses on a greater scale because many see the benefits of the technology as allowing teams to collaborate more efficiently and as a crucial tool for workflow innovation. We’re seeing open source take off even more today as people adjust work modes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because open-source technology is transparent in nature, it enables data to be easily accessed by workers—specifically researchers and health-care professionals to help them better understand and deal with the crisis.

      If you have a suggestion for an eWEEK Data Points article, email [email protected].

      eWEEK Staff
      eWEEK Staff

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×