Key Summary
- The Upwork Research Institute partnered with Beresford Research to survey 500 U.S. C-level executives and direct reports from Russell 3000 companies.
- Sourced qualified candidates and fielded a 20-minute executive questionnaire.
- Combined survey data with three years of revenue and EBITDA analysis.
- Delivered evidence-based insights into how business leaders view non-traditional skilled talent and the business outcomes tied to adopting new models.
- Findings were featured in the Upwork Research Institute’s report, The Future Workforce Index: Evolving Talent Trends in 2025 and Beyond.
- Demonstrates Beresford Research’s expertise in C-level executive surveys, brand research, and thought leadership development.
The Challenge
The Upwork Research Institute set out to study shifts in the US workforce and how business leaders leverage talent models to meet the evolving demands of the future of work.
To test their hypotheses, Upwork needed credible insight specifically from top business leaders. That meant accessing senior executives, including CEOs, CMOs, CHROs, COOs, CFOs, and CIOs/CTOs. Upwork required specialized expertise in C-level executive surveys to ensure the highest level of data quality and respondent authenticity.
The Solution
Upwork partnered with Beresford Research to execute a 20-minute questionnaire tailored to senior executives. Our team qualified respondents in their workplaces and, using CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing), surveyed 500 US-based C-level executives and their direct reports from Russell 3000 companies. To enhance the research findings, Beresford Research also compiled three years of company-level revenue and EBITDA data, calculating two – and three-year CAGRs. This integration of financial data with confidential survey responses provided Upwork with a deeper view of performance across executive cohorts.
Beresford Research designed the study to include four years of company revenue and EBITDA data, as well as three years of income data, to establish criteria for identifying employer leaders and laggards. This project highlights our strategic ability to combine robust survey methodology, strategic brand research, and data analysis that goes beyond surface-level responses. By engaging senior executives directly and gathering contextual data, Beresford Research ensures reliable insights that are influential and actionable.
The Results
The research confirmed Upwork’s hypotheses, offering evidence-based insights into how executives perceive non-traditional skilled talent. The findings were published in the Upwork Research Institute’s report, The Future Workforce Index: Evolving Talent Trends in 2025 and Beyond. The survey results provide a strong foundation for future longitudinal research and expansion of the study beyond the US.
The outcome demonstrates how Beresford Research enables clients to transform executive insights into credible thought leadership, fueling market positioning and informing future strategic direction.
Why This Matters
Senior business decision-makers, including high-net-worth individuals, don’t have the time or inclination to take online surveys, which makes the role of specialized partners, such as Beresford Research, critical for market research success. Beresford Research combines verifiable C-level access, financial data integration, and expert survey methodology, to deliver insights that influence industry conversations and drive business growth.
Start Your Own Executive Research Project
Whether you need to understand workforce trends, brand perceptions, or executive decision-making, Beresford Research provides the expertise and access required to uncover real insights from senior leaders and high-net-worth individuals. Our proven methodology ensures data integrity and credibility at every stage of the process.
Contact Beresford Research today to discuss how we can help with your next C-level survey or market research initiative.
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