Hustle

The 4th Uber app has arrived: Uber Works is the Uber for temp workers

Friday, October 4, 2019 by Snacks
_"Hello, Uber? Thanks for helping me find work"_

"Hello, Uber? Thanks for helping me find work"

Who's going to make the "Uber for staffing"?... Turns out it's Uber. With deep profitability problems in its core ride/food delivery apps, Uber hopes this becomes its profit puppy: Uber Works. The new app is the essence of gig β€” connecting humans who want work with people who need work. It launched in Chicago, and here are some scenarios you could Uber Work for:

  • 🍽 Events: Cook, bartend, set-up/clean-up. Uber Works finds the restaurant, bar, or party that's desperate for side-hustlers.
  • πŸ“¦ Warehousing: Help with inventory, shipping, or packaging. Uber Works connects you with a factory in need.

Staffing is hard... and it's dominated by local or industry-specific firms sticking people like Ryan Howard into a role at Dunder Mifflin (and charging a fee for it). Uber Works replaces that with its app's secret algorithm to balance supply with demand through dynamic (aka "surge") pricing. The pricing in this case being an hourly wage.

THE TAKEAWAY

Uber's got an "independent contractor" problem... but Uber Works probably won't face it. California recently passed a law requiring Uber to treat drivers as full-time employees with benefits (benefits = expensive.). With Works though, Uber is purely a middleman, taking a fee from a variety of businesses that find gig workers via Uber. It's a cleaner transaction with fewer legal question marks.

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