Key takeaways
Lifted has been named a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s 2026 Freelancer Engagement and Management System (FEMS) PEAK Matrix® Assessment.
Lifted combines scale, speed, and built-in compliance in a way traditional solutions cannot, and that’s what makes us the go-to partner for large enterprises.
Unlike staffing firms, marketplaces, or AOR/EOR providers that focus on a single part of the process, Lifted supports all contingent workforce use cases in one place.
Lifted, an Upwork company, has been named a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s 2026 Freelancer Engagement and Management System (FEMS) PEAK Matrix® Assessment.
This is a massive recognition of the value our product brings to market & marks our first inclusion since launching in August 2025. This inclusion signals growing enterprise demand for a new approach to hiring and managing contingent talent. We’re proud to be recognized by Everest as the solution of choice for enterprise companies looking to source and engage independent talent at scale.
What this signals for the market
Being named a Leader and Star Performer in Everest Group’s 2026 FEMS PEAK Matrix® is a strong validation from the contingent workforce market, and the role Lifted is playing in shaping it.
Enterprises are under increasing pressure to access specialized talent quickly, manage costs, and stay compliant across multiple geographies. At the same time, legacy point solutions struggle to keep up with these immediate operational demands.
This recognition reflects a market shift toward hyper-efficient, tech-enabled modeled solutions that enable enterprises to source and engage contingent talent faster, more transparently, and at a global scale.
“Enterprises need a faster, more compliant way to engage any type of contingent talent globally, and they need it to work within their existing ecosystems. Being recognized in this assessment is a great validation of the strong solution we are bringing to market."
Ernesto Lamaina
GM, Lifted
Sourcing any contingent talent, fast
Lifted enables large enterprises to source and engage any kind of contingent talent, globally.
We function as a comprehensive solution across the full lifecycle, from sourcing to engagement to management and payment, while working perfectly within your existing ecosystem. Whether you operate through a VMS, an MSP, or both, Lifted integrates seamlessly as a tech-enabled supplier to your contingent workforce program.
One of the primary ways enterprises engage contingent talent today is through independent contractors, often supported by an Agent of Record (AOR) model. While Lifted is recognized as a leader in the FEMS space (providing enterprise companies with solutions to engage independent contractors and agents of record), our capabilities extend way further. We support all types of contingent engagement models, including independent contractors, temporary workers, and SOW-based work, and enable you to engage pre-identified & sourced talent compliantly, so you can continue working with trusted contractors without added risk.
The result is a highly accelerated approach to contingent workforce management; enterprises can now source and engage talent at the highest possible speed and quality.
Why Lifted leads the way in the contingent workforce
Lifted combines scale, speed, and built-in compliance in a way traditional solutions cannot—and that’s what makes us the go-to partner for large enterprises.
Speed
We have access to a live database of 18M+ professionals, with real-time insight into availability, experience, and past performance. Our automated matching surfaces the right talent instantly, resulting in an average time-to-fill of under three days.
Cost
Because our platform automates work that is typically manual, we operate with lower overhead. This enables us to deliver the same or better outcomes at 10% to 30% lower cost than traditional suppliers.
Compliance
Compliance is embedded throughout the platform and strengthened by our team of experts. Together, our product automations and specialist oversight manage identity verification, background checks, and worker classification at scale. Each year, we process around 20,000 classifications with ZERO formal claims of misclassification brought by a worker classified as an IC.
Unlike stand-alone staffing firms, marketplaces, or AOR/EOR providers that focus on a single part of the process, Lifted supports all contingent workforce use cases in one place.
This is what enables enterprises to move faster, reduce complexity, and engage talent globally with confidence.
To read the report, click here.
Author
Ernesto Lamaina
GM at Lifted
Ernesto Lamaina is the General Manager of Lifted, an Upwork company dedicated to helping enterprises source, engage, and manage contingent talent across every contract type—independent contractors, staff augmentation, employer of record, and managed services.
