When a potential client sends a message, every minute you wait to answer costs you. A new study of millions of freelance transactions finds that even a 5 to 10 minute delay dramatically lowers the chance of being hired.
The research, by Einav Hart of George Mason University, Eric M. VanEpps of Vanderbilt University, Ovul Sezer of Cornell University and On Amir of the University of California, San Diego, was published in Management Science on June 3, 2026.
Millions of Fiverr conversations
The team first analysed transaction data from Fiverr, a large online marketplace for freelance services, covering roughly 11.66 million observations. They found a strong negative relationship between how long a provider took to reply to a service request and the likelihood of securing a contract.
Why speed matters to employers
Three main experiments with 3,603 participants, plus five supplemental studies with 5,039 more, explored the reason. Providers who replied faster were seen as more likely to be responsive in the future, made more positive impressions than slower responders, and were more likely to be hired.
That effect held independently of other cues about future responsiveness. It appeared regardless of a worker’s quality and regardless of the content of the message they sent.
The authors describe reply speed as a distinct signal that workers control themselves. Their summary of the result is four words long: “every minute counts.”
Study Details:
- Title: Speed Is a Signal: When Faster Replies Increase Hiring Likelihood
- Authors: Einav Hart, Eric M. VanEpps, Ovul Sezer, On Amir
- Journal: Management Science
- Publication Date: June 3, 2026
- DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2024.06185