Uber becomes the unofficial job board for the whole gig economy
Like LinkedIn, but for gigs... The largest segment of Uber's business — rides — has grinded to a near-total halt. Riders and drivers fear catching germs (plus there's not many places to Uber to anyway). Drivers have lost as much as 80% of their income, and many have stopped working entirely. But Uber found a way to work what it's got:
- People: Uber’s got an army of millions of workers who already have the app downloaded on their phones. They're just not using it right now.
- Tech: Over the years, Uber has slowly worked toward a 1-stop app where users can access all its services on one platform.
- Opportunity: Enter Work Hub. Uber is listing gig opportunities that aren't just for itself — Domino's, FedEx, Target, and Walgreens opportunities right in Uber's app. It's also offering easy access and visibility for gigs on Uber Eats, Uber Works, and Uber Freight (all in one hub).
Getting a job has never seemed harder... Uber's dream is to be the ultimate connector of the gig economy. In October it launched Uber Works, which connects people to shift jobs and helps companies fill staffing gaps. Now, with a massive unemployment rate and surging delivery demand, Uber's odds of success in this space have increased.
It's a win-win-win situation... Cash-strapped drivers get easy access to jobs, worker-needy companies get access to workers, and Uber gets a major adoption boost for its gig-connecting platform. Uber will not receive payment from companies for posting jobs — but it can monetize in the future after users get hooked. For now, it'll retain drivers while rides are down, and potentially attract new workers on a diversity of gigs. One day, WorkHub might even be Uber's profit puppy.