First it was cheap taxi rides. Then it delivered takeaways from restaurants that were once the preserve of those dining in.
Now Uber is shipping out short term staff for all your function needs, in other words Door Staff, Bouncers Waiters etc.
The Silicon Valley startup-turned global enterprise is said to be working on Uber Works, which will offer up temporary staff such as security and event assistants for functions at the tap of a phone screen.
It is already building up a team in Chicago, according to the Financial Times. If true, it seems like a surprising pivot from its main business model.
ZERO HOURS
The news will add further fuel to grumbling workers’ rights campaigners across Europe, who have tried vehemently to oust Uber for its poor track record on giving benefits to its couriers and drivers, who are not technically employees.
Uber has already waded into an ongoing row over drivers’ rights, with campaigners claiming they should be classes as employees. And it has only just smoothed over its hiccup in London, where its licence was revoked in 2017.
Offering up temporary staff without rights could cause more of a headache across European cities.
It also seems particularly tone deaf for a company so hellbent on cleaning up its image, investing heavily in a rebranding in recent weeks. The zero hours contractor market is already viewed with some suspicion in the UK due to employees' lack of holidays or guarantee of consistent work.
STROKE OF GENIUS?
Plus, the market is well trodden. Staffing and contractors companies including G4S (is that not linked with the PM’s husband?) have a strong hold, and clients might need more than a swishy app to convince them to part ways.
However, this leak could be a stroke of genius for the company, which is preening itself ahead of a stock market debut tipped for 2019.
Questions remain over whether Uber can continue to grow in both new and established markets as competition ramps up.
The company declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph, but stay tuned. Under new boss Dara Khosrowshahi, the company has been working to clean up its act and transform its business model from startup to a responsible business investors can expect a return on.
Source : Telegraph.
0 Response to "Uber’s next trick? Bouncers for hire."
Post a Comment