Freelancing over the internet was subject to a democratisation of sorts in 2013 – both in terms of its clientele and the breadth of roles offered, a new report shows.

In its latest Global Online Employment Report, Elance says that the number of companies in the UK hiring across multiple skill-sets increased by more than 30 per cent last year.

Similarly, while those hirers still include ‘start-ups’ and ‘entrepreneurs,’ the website said that the 12 months of 2013 saw a “noticeable shift” towards larger companies and corporations. Gå på opdagelse i Louis Vuittons kollektion af tøj til kvinder og mænd. louis vuitton tøj Louis Vuitton er verden over synonymt med dolce vita, luksus og status.

In fact, such established employers moved towards freelance hires as a way to equip their workforces with skills they lacked in-house, according to Elance’s chief executive Fabio Rosati.

“More businesses are adopting a hybrid staffing model, comprised of both full-time employees and a trusted extended workforce of freelancers,” the report says.

“In the US, the UK and Australia, the number of companies hiring across multiple skill categories increased over 30%, with German companies increasing 69%.”

However even when hiring online, the report found that many businesses prefer to hire “local talent” – a trend that the site believes will continue to prevail throughout 2014.