Compassion and consideration in these difficult times

[breece-page-gary]

May I call on Upwork to remove the connect fees that were introduced not long ago and return to the free connects allocation per month for a few months. In these uncertain times of hardship for everyone, do your bit, I am sure you can manage for a while on your considerable 20% comission fee on each transaction, it is within your interest to support the freelance community that you rely on in these times of difficulty.

Lets work together people

[piyush-weblancer]

Hi Folks,

As we can see Covid-19 is already affecting large number of areas, people and businesses all over the world. I can see some effect on Upwork too as some client put projects on hold as may be they don't want to go out to meet there partners or clients to discuss on projects.There are chances people will work online more now a days rather than go out.

To support Freelancing community as well as Online Business Communities and for much bigger cause if Upwork do some favors for would be a great Step from Upwork. Either lower down Upwork percentage a bit from client side so they gets encouraged to work more online. Lowering down connects on job posts for Freelancers as well to encourage them.

PS: I am saying this because from past one year I can see lot of Freelancer saying business from Upwork is already lowered down and its same with me too.

Hope to see some change !!

[prestonhunter]

Piyush, I appreciate your comments and thoughts.

But Upwork has not announced any changes to its fees, or to the cost of connects, or to the numbers of connects required to bid on jobs, and it is unlikely to do so.

[kbadeau]

If anything, they need to be more stringent now about accepting new freelancers and they definitely need to keep the paid connects. The last thing Upwork needs is a bunch of people who have never worked remotely thinking they can just jump in here and be succesfull right off the bat. Upwork needs professionalism and underpromising and overdelivering from its freelancers right now, imo.

They could lower the fee to 5% sooner though; that'd be fine with me.

[prestonhunter]

Excellent point by Kelly.

The platform will be better served, and the clients will have a better experience, if new freelancers are kept to a minimum. Curtailing intake of new freelances would probably be beneficial, or at least previous intake levels should be maintained, until clients experience difficulty finding freelancers for their projects.

[7bb3a47b]

Excellent point by Kelly.

The platform will be better served, and the clients will have a better experience, if new freelancers are kept to a minimum. Curtailing intake of new freelances would probably be beneficial, or at least previous intake levels should be maintained, until clients experience difficulty finding freelancers for their projects.

----

If they accept new application or not, it is  up to you.

Also new freelancer is not your competitor. 

Upwork, please accept chinese freelancers  so they can create account so that they can show the magic. 

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Brian K wrote:

Excellent point by Kelly.

The platform will be better served, and the clients will have a better experience, if new freelancers are kept to a minimum. Curtailing intake of new freelances would probably be beneficial, or at least previous intake levels should be maintained, until clients experience difficulty finding freelancers for their projects.

----

If they accept new application or not, it is  up to you.

Also new freelancer is not your competitor. 

Upwork, please accept chinese freelancers  so they can create account so that they can show the magic. 

---

Upwork does accept Chinese freelancers. Did somebody tell you otherwise? If so, they're scammers.

[quantprogrammer1]

there is no basic vetting of qulifications and past work experience

[resultsassoc]

Piyush,

This is what is called a complex system problem. You andUpwork aren't the only players.

In a complex system, anything one player does affects all other players. Upwork and you are players, but so are the client and Upwork's bondholders. If Upwork reduces its fees and reduces the number of connects needed, or discounts the cost of connects, it means the client gets more responses. From a client perspective, that's not good if most of the responses are from people who write "Hire me!" and leave it pretty much at that.

When I've posted jobs for new websites, I've gotten thirty automated responses immediately not addressing what I need. But, I have to read them all. While I'm doing that, I'm not making the money to pay the superstar whose response comes in number 226. The only way to prevent that, is to make the job invitation only, but then I'm limited in how many I can invite, or I can pay for more invitations (I think). That will discourage clients.

When a publicly-traded company issues debt, whether bonds or stock, it describes what it's goling to do with the money and how it's going to do it. If it doesn't keep its word, the bondholders have the right to demand immediate repayment. The stockholders can revolt and throw out the baby with the bathwater. Either would kill Upwork, and then UW connects are free. There just is no place to use them.

Identify all the players in the complex system centered on your business, then take action. Know that anything you do will affect every other player in that system. Now comes the hard part: Every player in your complex system has his/her own complex system. Nobody ever said this was supposed to be easy.

[moonraker]

Upwork need to stay in business as well. There won't be any jobs for anybody on the platform otherwise. 

[feed_my_eyes]

I don't think it'll benefit anyone if clients get overwhelmed by loads of desperate, spammy bids from unqualified freelancers, which is what will happen if free connects are given out. For the same reason, I'd like to see Upwork stop auto-accepting more freelancers at this time. 

If Upwork is going to offer any discounts or incentives, I'd rather see them directed towards clients. Give them free "Plus" memberships for a month, or waive the credit card processing fee, or let them have more free invitations. While jobs in some areas will dry up, there's also an opportunity to acquire new clients who may need remote workers due to their own employees being off sick or caring for others.

[resultsassoc]

Great post, Christine.

One thing that Upwork could in fact do is contact its clients who are pleased with UW freelancers' delivery, and suggest that UW freelancers can help teach them how to manage a remote workforce. I haven't had a regular office since 1992 and know how to manage a remote workforce. I'm all over the internet providing basic outlines of hoiw to do it. That's a basic outline, not a tailored solution. I would think that most successful veterans can, regardless of domain, help a client learn how to manage a remote workforce effectively.

I've managed global teams of SMEs in everythig from building chemical plants through running rubber plantations to bush-piloting and beyond. That often spanned twelve time zones and included three or four languages. It isn't easy, and a gentle hand goes a long way to reaching success for the client.

[tta192]

Upwork should allow clients to choose the number of connects required to apply. 

One could post a job for 50 connects and maybe receive 5 high quality proposals while it would also be possible to create a free-for-all job and get 500 applicants. Upwork could charge for this extra feature, too. Overall everyone wins.

[richard_wein]

---

UpAndrei T wrote:

Upwork should allow clients to choose the number of connects required to apply. 

One could post a job for 50 connects and maybe receive 5 high quality proposals while it would also be possible to create a free-for-all job and get 500 applicants. Upwork could charge for this extra feature, too. Overall everyone wins.

---

Good idea. The connects system is supposed to be for the benefit of clients,  to stop them being bombarded with too many proposals. Let each client decide whether they want more proposals or less. 

[petra_r]

---

Bill H wrote:

One thing that Upwork could in fact do is contact its clients who are pleased with UW freelancers' delivery, and suggest that UW freelancers can help teach them how to manage a remote workforce.

Just because someone has been freelancing that does not mean they know the first thing about managing a remote workforce, or any workforce, or a gaggle of geese, or their way out of an jar of jam. 

---

Bill H wrote:

I'm all over the internet providing basic outlines of hoiw to do it.

---

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[alexspataru]

Hi there, 

Today I lost my second (and the last) maintenance contract within a week, which means I won't get paid anymore unless I find any another client. But as we all know, getting contracts with fairly big hourly rate is pretty hard in general. Now, with COVID-19 is close to impossible.

I am a Top Rated with JSS of 100% which will clearly get affected if for 1-2 months I'll have no earnings. I think UpWork should help us at least with that. You, UpWork, should freeze the JSS for those who lost / paused their contracts in those cloudy times.

Thank you,
Alex

[petra_r]

---

Alexandru S wrote:

I am a Top Rated with JSS of 100% which will clearly get affected if for 1-2 months I'll have no earnings.

---

There is no reason to think your JSS would suffer if you don't earn for a month or two.

[alexspataru]

If that's true, then why do we have this?

[petra_r]

---

Alexandru S wrote:

If that's true, then why do we have this?

---

Your top rated eligible weeks will continue to be 16. You won't fall below 100% JSS if you don't have any poor outcomes. Your private feedback is also 100% - so nothing will happen at all, the JSS will stay at 100%. Every week when you have 100% counts as an eligible week, even if you don't work or earn for a month or 2.

[alexspataru]

That sounds great. Thank you! 

[prestonhunter]

Gary, thank you for your note.

Upwork will not be making any changes like that.

You are correct in pointing out that Upwork and all users are in this together. The charges for connects are part of maintaining a positive experience for clients.

[petra_r]

Gary, that wouldn't help anyone.

The more connects people have, the more people apply on any given job posting and the lower your chances of winning one.

Clients are flooded with applications.

---

Gary B wrote:

 it is within your interest to support the freelance community that you rely on in these times of difficulty.

---

To put it bluntly, freelancers are a dime a dozen. It's clients Upwork relies on, and they're not.

[yitwail]

---

Petra R wrote:

To put it bluntly, freelancers are a dime a dozen. It's clients Upwork relies on, and they're not.

---

That's a bit one-sided. I dare say you're not a dime a dozen, and neither is Preston, who also dismissed the idea of some sort of gesture from Upwork to freelancers. Upwork doesn't exist just on marketing, it has to offer a service qualitatively different from the competition to be viable. If Upwork freelancers were no better than those at other sites, which I won't name because it will be edited out, clients would have no reason to choose Upwork. I personally think something like a onetime gift of some moderate number of connects to established freelancers would make a nice gesture of appreciation during trying times.

[petra_r]

---

John K wrote:

---

I personally think something like a onetime gift of some moderate number of connects to established freelancers would make a nice gesture of appreciation during trying times.

---

Those established freelancers are, however, on average the ones least likely to need any more connects.

Maybe create a system where people with surplus connects can donate them to less fortunate ones, I'd gladly hand over 100 of mine to someone who has more use for the things than I do, but that would be a mess to implement.

[yitwail]

---

Petra R wrote:

---

John K wrote:

---

I personally think something like a onetime gift of some moderate number of connects to established freelancers would make a nice gesture of appreciation during trying times.

---

Those established freelancers are, however, on average the ones least likely to need any more connects.

Maybe create a system where people with surplus connects can donate them to less fortunate ones, I'd gladly hand over 100 of mine to someone who has more use for the things than I do, but that would be a mess to implement.

---

Petra, it's not a question of need, it's the symbolic value that matters, that Upwork is capable of some measure of generosity & loyalty, that goes beyond sending an occasional congratulatory email with animated confetti and such.

[atreglia]

---

Petra R wrote:Those established freelancers are, however, on average the ones least likely to need any more connects.

---

Nonsense.

[petra_r]

---

Anna T wrote:

---

Petra R wrote:Those established freelancers are, however, on average the ones least likely to need any more connects.

---

Nonsense.

---

Which part is "Nonsense?" Are you saying that established successful freelancers need *on average* as many or more connects, especially free ones (which they can buy themsemselves), than non established people who may not be able to afford any?

[atreglia]

---

Petra R wrote:

---

Anna T wrote:

---

Petra R wrote:Those established freelancers are, however, on average the ones least likely to need any more connects.

---

Nonsense.

---

Which part is "Nonsense?" Are you saying that established successful freelancers need *on average* as many or more connects, especially free ones (which they can buy themsemselves), than non established people who may not be able to afford any?

---

I don't agree with your presumption that a gesture of, heaven forbid, FREE connects to an "average" and "established" freelancer is unnecessary at this time.  Just because they may not be needed, wanted, or appreciated by you personally does not make it an unwise gesture to those freelancers who are not as average and established as you are.

[petra_r]

Anna, John suggested giving them to established people like Preston and I.

I said that such people least need them, and that was my point.  So I think your reaction was based on misunderstanding what I was saying, which was that giving connects to those who need them least, would be little help to those who do.

---

Anna T wrote:

---

those freelancers who are not as average and established as you are.

---

Really?

[jwresearch]

Yes.

I'm so sick of these posters who make their living spewing upwork propaganda and being mean to any freelancer who has any issue.

[a_lipsey]

---

Jeff M wrote:

Yes.

I'm so sick of these posters who make their living spewing upwork propaganda and being mean to any freelancer who has any issue.

---

(A) No one who has responded to you makes their living from Upwork. They are all freelancers who get paid by clients (and seemingly more often than you do so maybe it would be a good idea to pay attention and learn from them). 

(B) Disagreeing with you is not the same as "being mean".  Telling someone they are of little intelligence is being mean. If you'd like to make a suggestion and discuss/debate the pros and cons of said suggestion, then do that. But devolving to comments because people disagree with you does not support your suggestion at all. If you disagree with Preston or someone else's response, then explain the merit of your suggestion in light of those comments. But I suspect your suggestion is just because it will benefit you, and you have no other data or evidence to support why this suggestion would benefit freelancers, other than it would very temporarily give you more opportunity to apply for jobs.

Giving connects to freelancers would be a waste. I agree with others that promoting lower fees to clients so they utilize more freelancers during this time and post more jobs is a far better way to stimulate jobs on Upwork than giving freelancers more connects to bid with. You don't need more connects to send proposals. What you, and we, all need is more quality jobs. Quality jobs come from quality clients. The more quality jobs there are, the more opportunity there will be. The better bet for all of us is to attract more clients in this time so that there are more jobs. Allowing freelancers free connects to bombard clients with even more proposals will drive clients away not attract them. 

[AveryO]

Hi Jeff, 

I had to remove your post as it violated the Upwork Community Guidelines. Please know that being disrespectful towards other members, personal attacks or any other disparaging comments will not be tolerated. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and the Upwork Community allows disagreements to happen because we understand that everyone is their own person, and has their own opinion. However, note that posting insults, disruptive and hostile comments is against the Community Guidelines. These Guidelines are in place to help us maintain a professional and productive Community and we expect members to respect and follow them. 

[rverang]

---

John K wrote:
some moderate number of connects to established freelancers would make a nice gesture of appreciation during trying times.

---

I got *** free connects each of the last 2 days.

[wendy_writes]

Much as I hate to be repetitive, Upwork is a business.   A business we all rely on to generate a portion of our business earnings.

Upwork has financial obligations just like we do.  If U can not meet its obligations, the lights turn off. The same as yours ...

Now more than ever, be grateful for Upwork (and your fees) rather than squawking for 10 cent handouts.

[alyssasn]

How? And how many?

[pmoumita]

Hello,

Due to the COVID19 outbreak, most of the clients are reducing the hourly rate on their projects. I would be very happy to know if Upwork, as well, going to reducing its fee on the freelancer?

I think and hope that by reducing fees Upwork can help us in surviving in this situation.

Thanks and Regards,

Tufan

[petra_r]

---

Tufan G wrote:

Due to the COVID19 outbreak, most of the clients are reducing the hourly rate on their projects.

---

Are "most of your clients" trying to reduce your hourly rate?

[arulk8smx]

Is Upwork considering any incentives or help for freelancers and clients during these uncertain times.

[jr-translation]

Nope, but I still need a nanny.

[colettelewis]

OK everyone listen up: 

There is someone who has contributed to this thread - a good client - who is desperate for a nanny - so sign up. You will have to get to another country though. I believe there are private jets for hire. 

Distance caring is not an option at this stage.