Uber Works Officially Launches In Chicago

Today, millions of Americans use staffing agencies to find work. Yet the status quo is not ideal, for workers or for businesses. 

Workers face rigid scheduling and opaque information about where they can pick up shifts and how much they can expect to earn. Businesses struggle to staff up to meet peak demand, and have to grapple with missed shifts and high turnover. 

We believe a new, technology-first approach can provide faster and easier means for people to get work, while offering greater insight into the many opportunities for work that are out there—improving the experience for workers and businesses alike.

That’s why over the past year, we’ve studied and built tech solutions that can help positively impact a workers’ shift experience and eliminate bottlenecks to finding work. Starting in Chicago, we are now officially launching Uber Works platform that connects workers with businesses that need to fill available shifts.

We believe that finding work shouldn’t have to be a job in itself. For positions as diverse as being a prep cook, warehouse worker, a commercial cleaner or event staff, Uber Works aims to make it easier to find and claim a shift. 

The Uber Works Platform

Uber Works looks to provide more clarity about available work by helping workers see all relevant and available shifts in one place. 

Uber Works app users can get detailed information about shifts they’re interested in, including information about gross pay, work location and skills, or required attire. Uber Works also serves as a one-stop shop for all time-tracking needs, allowing users to clock in and out and log breaks.

Uber Works helps ensure timely payments to workers and provides more transparency and opportunities for feedback in the marketplace. We believe technology can help workers feel more confident and empowered when it comes to finding shifts, and we are excited by the potential to build technology that can reduce the pain points workers experience each day. 

We believe a more efficient marketplace will also support businesses. By providing a reliable pool of vetted and qualified workers, Uber Works can help businesses reduce scheduling headaches, weather seasonal variations, and staff up for unexpected demand.

Finding Opportunity Through Partnership

We believe Uber Works presents a real opportunity to help improve the quality and access of work through technology. For us, it’s clear we are just at the beginning of the journey. The Uber Works team is committed to the task ahead as we learn and explore how we can be a part of the solution.

As we begin, the focus will be on making this official Chicago launch a success for the workers and businesses we will be partnering with. While technology has the potential to provide more choice and information for workers and businesses, how we operate is equally important. 

To do things right, we believe we need to take a partnership approach. That’s why Uber Works has partnered with staffing agencies, including TrueBlue, who employ, pay and handle worker benefits. Uber Works is also committed to deliver services that support skill up-leveling and promote work re-entry and we are partnering with various organizations that support workers in their employment journey.

As part of this effort, we are working to expand our educational partnership with ASU to Uber Works so eligible workers on the platform can have access to online classes. We are also engaging with local Chicago organizations that can provide skills training.

By working with local groups such as the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, we hope to help support access to work for people across all Chicago communities. Uber Works is also connecting with community and faith-based organizations to examine how we can leverage the Uber Works platform to help with workforce reentry. 

Find Out More

It’s clear that technology can provide faster and easier access to shift work. We’re excited about this and eager to find more and more ways we can help make a difference in the lives of the people who do this work daily. 

Uber Works grew out of Uber’s business incubator, leveraging the company’s marketplace technology and operational know-how to help solve pain points that exist in connecting workers with businesses. To learn more, please visit Works.co.