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Wonolo employers

The Employers Guide to Hiring on Wonolo

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Wonolo is an app similar to Shiftgig or Gigwalk in that it allows individuals to pick up shifts on demand based on their schedule and skillset. This can be an excellent tool for businesses that need additional help throughout the year but aren’t ready to hire someone full-time.

In this guide, we’ll explain how Wonolo works and how it can help your business fill in the gaps when you need extra help. We’ll also provide you with the basics of how to find help on Wonolo and some tips for getting the most out of the app.

How Does Wonolo Work?

Wonolo promises to make on-demand staffing simple with an easy three-step process for employers. The employer or “requestor” can start posting a job in a matter of minutes:

  • The requestor creates and posts the job using a clear description.
  • The Wonoloer accepts the job when they are available and are the right fit for the job.
  • The Wonoler completes the job, and the requestor approves the job by giving the Wonoler a rating.

It’s that easy! Wonolo also takes care of all payment processing after the job has been approved. There are no employment contracts necessary. The Wonoler’s relationship to the employer is that of an independent contractor. After the shift is over and the work has been approved, there are no further agreements between the two.

Benefits of Using Wonolo for Your Business

There are many benefits to using Wonolo to hire temporary staff for your business. The platform is built around the principle of helping match employers with effective, on-demand workers qualified to help meet the business’ needs. While a temporary staffing agency may take time to find the right hire, Wonolo gives you access to a pool of pre-qualified, vetted, and reliable workers who are motivated to help your business with little notice.

Not only can Wonolo help find your business temporary staff quickly, but the app also boasts a 90% average fill rate for all positions, while traditional temporary and contract staffing companies have a fill rate averaging 34%. Additionally, Wonolo is cost-effective, costing business an average of 40% less than working with a staffing agency. Wonolo allows you to set the rates for each position, giving you more control over your budget.

All Wonoloers undergo a qualification process before they can start accepting shifts, which means companies can feel secure in knowing they are working with pre-screened and vetted workers. Every Wonoler must agree to Wonolo’s temporary worker contract, which outlines all worker expectations. They also must undergo a background check, tests, and screening calls.

How to Hire Temporary Workers on Wonolo

When you’re ready to start hiring temporary workers on Wonolo, the job posting process is pretty simple. First, you’ll need to work on your job description. The jobs that fill up quickly tend to have concise descriptions that include the following information:

  • Description of the company
  • Description of the main job tasks
  • Any preparation that’s required, such as reading material
  • Any specific job requirements, like dress code or knowledge of technology
  • Any tools required, like a smartphone or certain shoes or clothing
  • Logistical information, like how to find the building, who to contact on arrival, etc.

Once you have created a description for the job, you’ll need to decide on a pay rate. This is entirely up to you, but consider making the hourly pay rate competitive with market rates if you want a Wonoloer to accept the job. Once you’ve chosen a pay rate, you will post the job and wait for a Wonoloer to accept it.

Wonoloers only accept jobs they are available and qualified for. Once they accept the job, you can expect to see them on site for the specified shift. After you have found specific Wonoloers you like working with, you can add them to your Preferred Wonoloers list and invite them to more jobs in the future. If you find some Wonoloers that are not a good fit, you can also block them from seeing future ad postings in the app.

Wonolo Payments & Fees

Once the requestor has approved the Wonoloer’s job, Wonolo will pay the worker directly on the next day. Wonolo will charge the requestor’s card on file immediately after they have rated the Wonoloer’s performance, so it’s important that the requestor makes any necessary payment adjustments before approving the job.

Wonolo charges a 45% service fee, which is applied after the requestor has approved the job and rated the Wonoloer’s performance. Wonolo will send an invoice after job approval with both worker payment and service fee – both of which are charged immediately after approval.

Hints & Tips for Using Wonolo as a Requestor

Here are some additional tips for getting the most out of the Wonolo app as an employer:

  • If you want to get in touch with Wonoloers, use the in-app messenger. Once the worker has picked up the job, you’ll be able to see their profile page, including any pertinent contact information.
  • If you want to invite a specific Wonoloer to a job posting, click on the button “Preferred Wonoloers” at the bottom of the job posting page and click on the name of the Wonoloer you’d like to add to the list. After you click “Post Job,” the notification will be sent.
  • To save time, you can create teams of Wonoloers within your account, making it easy to invite them to a specific job opportunity later. Just add the team to the job before posting to notify them.
  • Be sure to choose your preferred method of receiving notifications so you don’t miss a message. In addition to in-app notifications, you can also get text and email notifications.

Overall, Wonolo is a great option for businesses who need to fill in the employment gaps during busy times of the year. Whether you need servers, event staff, cashiers, administrative personnel, or warehouse workers, you can find the temporary help you need on Wonolo.

 

Wonolo vs. Shiftgig

Wonolo vs. Shiftgig: Hiring Workers for Your Business

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The gig economy is booming, and for many companies this means options. So. Many. Options. Wading through all of your choices isn’t always sunshine and roses. Knowing which direction to go can be daunting, if not confusing. It is for this precise reason that we have compared two of the strongest competitors in the temp work space: Wonolo and Shiftgig.

Location, Location, Location

Let’s start with the most obvious. Where is your company located? Shiftgig has some glaring omissions in the market, namely Los Angeles and San Francisco, so if your company is located in either of those hubs, Wonolo is definitely your best option. Check out the full lists of locations below.

Wonolo currently operates the following areas:

  • Atlanta
  • Chicago
  • Columbus, Ohio, and its suburbs
  • Dallas/Fort Worth
  • Los Angeles
  • Nashville
  • New York City (Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and New Jersey)
  • Philadelphia and its suburbs
  • San Antonio
  • San Francisco Bay area
  • Seattle
  • Tampa

Shiftgig currently operates in

  • Atlanta
  • Chicago
  • Dallas
  • Houston
  • Memphis
  • Miami
  • Milwaukee
  • Nashville
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Philadelphia
  • Phoenix
  • Tampa

It’s a Numbers Game… or Is It?

Wonolo claims to have around 300,000 users registered on the platform. In comparison, Shiftgig has 15,000 registered workers (and 1,500 companies and employers) as of its last funding round.

You can look at this data two different ways. The first is to assume that Wonolo has more employees and will always have more options for you. The second is to assume that Shiftgig has less registered users because it is more stringent in its hiring and onboarding process.

It’s important to consider that Wonolo’s number of users could be higher due to its market share in Los Angeles. The city is a massive hub for gig workers looking to pick up extra shifts when they aren’t busy with creative work.

Both companies have posted quick intro videos that explain how they work. Here’s the Shiftgig explainer.

And here’s the intro video from Wonolo.

 

Shiftgig Vs. Wonolo: Different Features

Pay Schedules

Shiftgig sticks to a traditional weekly pay schedule. It also offers DailyPay on specific jobs to employees in New York and Chicago.

On the other hand, Wonolo pays all its employees on a daily basis. As an employer, you are expected to pay the day after the gig is finished and provide a rating for the employee’s performance. (We’ll cover more on this later.)

The Hiring Process

Wonolo conducts all screening tests and interviews on the phone, which could be a major reason why it has so many registered users. The company’s site boasts: “At Wonolo, we conduct all screening and vetting via phone, meaning you don’t need to take time out to travel to an in-person interview. That means you’ll be up and running – and ready to start accepting jobs – faster.”

Call Shiftgig old-fashioned, but it still prefers to hold in-person interviews after receiving applicants’ information.

Pay Rates

For the most part, Wonoloers (yes that is the company’s nickname for its workers) appear to make higher hourly wages than Shiftgig employees (nicknamed Specialists).

This is due to Wonolo adding its service fee to the company’s invoice rather than deducting it from the worker’s pay. Good for employees. Not so good for employers, unless you take into consideration that happier employees almost always perform better.

In the San Francisco Bay area, Wonolo workers earned:

  • between $10 and $16 an hour for warehouse and order fulfillment gigs
  • between $15 and $35 an hour for delivery jobs
  • between $15 and $25 an hour for clerical and data entry jobs
  • between $15 and $25 for general labor and moving jobs
  • between $13 and $30 an hour for brand ambassador and event work

Shiftgig workers report a whopping difference in their average hourly wages, including:

  • $11.61 per hour for a server
  • $11.33 per hour for a cook
  • $11.75 per hour for a server/bartender
  • $13 per hour for an event specialist
  • between $9 and 10 an hour for a warehouse worker

Wonolo Vs. Shiftgig – Career Trajectory

It appears Wonolo isn’t opposed to its workforce accepting full-time jobs with companies they are introduced to via the app, and may even encourage it.

Shiftgig, on the other hand, has a section on its user agreement that reads:

Other than connecting with users for the purpose of receiving or providing a position in the service industry, individuals and companies are prohibited from using the Site and Services for the purpose of recruiting for another website or soliciting, advertising to, or contracting users for employment, contracting, or any other purpose for a business not affiliated with Shiftgig without the express written consent of Shiftgig.

This is in direct contrast to a Fast Company article published in 2017 that stated “Shiftgig does not keep numbers on how many of its employees get full-time work at the places where they pick up shifts, though it does happen often enough that Eddie Lou (Executive Chairman and co-founder of Shiftgig) sees it as another avenue for the company to grow.

‘We allow businesses to test someone before they hire someone full-time,’ he points out.

Eddie Lou - Shiftgig
Eddie Lou - Executive Chairman - Shiftgig

 

In the future, Shiftgig hopes to create a mobile app for workers looking to find full-time work and change careers as well as providing career coaching, though don’t expect the company to hire human resources staff to facilitate the service. As Lou noted, “In a staffing agency it is someone’s brain; at Shiftgig, it is technology”.

The moral of the story here is that in any tech-driven economy, the landscape, and the rules can change at a moment’s notice. Stay up to date with press releases and articles about all companies while considering your staffing needs.

Technology

Let’s address the concerns with Wonolo’s higher registered user numbers and the potential for a watered-down pool of workers.

The company claims to use AI technology, which creates data-driven staffing with the help of ratings from both employees and employers after every single job. This helps Wonolo identify top performers and provide them with more opportunities (potentially becoming a Preferred Wonoloer). It also phases out poor performers and undesirable companies. While there are a massive number of registered users, the company only gives regular work to a small amount of those that are registered.

Shiftgig tends to showcase all available jobs to workers via GPS and keyword filters.

This is nice because while AI is impressive, it can sometimes miss things. A job that perfectly fits a potential employee’s work experience may somehow be missed in the application period.

Automating systems is great, but nothing beats human connection, especially for gig economy jobs that require strong customer service and marketing skills.

Over and Out

While these two companies are relatively new, they offer different solutions to the same problem faced by many employers. Trying out both services may be what makes the most sense for you. Or maybe you’ve already made up your mind based on the company practices listed here.

Bottom line: if you’re looking for a more personal, hands-on approach, we recommend Shiftgig. If you’re impressed by evolving technology, go with Wonolo.

 

wonolo sign up

Wonolo – How to Become a Wonoloer

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When you’re not getting enough hours at your current job, it can sometimes be challenging to find additional employment due to scheduling and time constraints.

That’s where Wonolo comes in. This employment platform helps individuals find immediate short-term employment opportunities in retail, warehouses, event staffing, and administration. Below, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Wonolo and how to become a Wonoloer.

Wonolo: What Is It and Who Is It For?

Wonolo is a broad-based employment platform that can help you find work in your local area.

Wonolo work now map

 

The app has much in common with Shiftgig, Basically, the Wonolo app matches workers with employers who are looking for temporary workers such as warehouse operations staff, delivery drivers, merchandisers, event staff, administrative workers, and workers for other general labor positions.

Wonolo Job Description
Wonolo Job Description Screen

 

From an employment perspective, Wonolo is great as it allows companies to fill positions during busy times of the year or when their year-round staff is unavailable due to emergency situations or planned leave. Wonolo enables companies to find qualified pre-screened staff members in a matter minutes, providing a stressless, flexible way to get help when and where they need it.

For individuals who want to find work, Wonolo makes it easy to pick up shifts that fit into their schedules. It can be a challenge for underemployed individuals to balance multiple part-time jobs to make a living.

With Wonolo, people can find immediate or same-day jobs, picking up shifts when they have time in their schedules.

Most jobs on the app are entry-level positions that don’t require years of experience, making it ideal for those who may not have the education or specific experience under their belt.

Born out of founders AJ Brustein and Yong Kim’s experience at Coca-Cola, Wonolo was founded in 2013 in San Francisco. In November 2018, the company secured a $32 million Series C funding round. Though there are competitors in this space that provide nationwide staffing solutions, such as TrueBlue, Wonolo prides itself on its on-demand platform and unique approach to staffing. Rather than just looking at who is qualified, it considers those with the best character traits and personalities, as most people can learn on the job.

How Did Wonolo Get That Name?

The company was named by shortening and combining the phrase “Work Now Locally” to get Wonolo.

How Wonolo Works

Once you are signed up to work on Wonolo, finding work is pretty simple. You will get daily postings of jobs available in your area. After reading the job descriptions carefully, you can then accept the jobs you are qualified for that fit into your schedule.

Make sure you are only accepting jobs that you can commit to with certainty, as you are penalized for withdrawing from a job, especially if it is less than 12 hours before its start time.

After you complete the job, you will mark it complete in the app. Your employer (known as the requestor) will then approve the job in the app and rate your performance at the end of your shift.

The better your rating and the more jobs you accept, the more likely you are to receive additional employment opportunties on Wonolo. In fact, the app encourages companies to work with “preferred Wonoloers” or those it has developed a relationship with over time.

In order to get paid, workers must input their direct deposit or debit card information in the Wonolo app. Once the job is complete and approved by the requestor, workers are typically paid within 3-5 business days. There are no fees to become a worker on Wonolo.

When working on Wonolo, it’s important to understand Wonolo’s Breach of Contract Policy.

As an independent contractor, you are held to certain standards when it comes to accepting and attending jobs. You agree to the policy before you are able to accept work in the platform, and not following the policy can result in restricted access to jobs and potentially removal from the platform entirely.

As a Wonoloer, you will get one breach point for the following activities:

  • Withdrawing from a job within 12 hours of the start time
  • Withdrawing from three jobs or a multi-day job within 30 days
  • Earning a 1-, 2-, or 3-star rating from an employer
  • Asking the requestor to cancel the job for you

Your first breach results in a 3-day limited view of jobs, and you’ll be removed from any existing jobs you’ve accepted. Your second breach results in a 7-day limited view of jobs and removal from existing jobs. Your third breach results in a restricted view of jobs and removal from all existing jobs.

Additionally, if you’re a no-show and don’t withdraw in the app, your account will be restricted and your accepted jobs will be removed.

If you want to be successful on Wonolo, you need to maintain high ratings. The best way to do this is arrive on time, do your best performing the task assigned, be respectful to the employer and your co-workers, and always have a professional attitude. Try not to accept any jobs that you can’t commit to, but if something does happen, you need to provide more than 12 hours’ notice when withdrawing from a job.

The company has also created a short video that gives some great tips for succeeding on the Wonolo platform.

 

 

How to Sign Up For Wonolo

Becoming a Wonoloer is easy. Here are the steps you’ll go through to sign up to work for Wonolo:

  • Download the Wonolo app.
  • Start the onboarding process, which begins by accepting the app’s terms of use and entering your contact information.
  • Take a short Wonolo quiz about how the platform works, which you can find the answers to in the Wonolo handbook.
  • After you complete the quiz, give your consent to a background check.
  • Review and agree to four disclosures – “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,” “Disclosure Regarding Background Investigation,” “Acknowledgment and Authorization for Background Check,” and “State Notice Addendum.”

There are no requirements to sign up and start accepting jobs, other than the fact that you will need to be able to pass a criminal background check, as Wonolo pre-screens all of its employees.

Wonolo also requires you to have a smartphone, as that’s how you find and accept jobs. You can also turn on notifications to ensure you are alerted to new jobs in your area.

Wanolo Earnings

Earnings will vary depending on the job, but most positions pay higher than minimum wage even though they do not require special training or education.

Wonolo pay
Wonolo earnings screen

 

You also have the opportunity to earn bonuses by referring others. The current referral rates are $25 for referring a worker and $500 for a business referral. Workers can also earn a bonus when a company wants to hire a worker as an employee and the worker agrees to accept the position.

Does Wonolo sound like a great opportunity for you? Sign up today to get started earning at a variety of jobs!

 

Wonolo series C

Bain Decides To Wanolo And Precurser Has A Knack

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This Week In On Demand — Nov. 23, 2018

Not even the holiday season can put a hold on the gig economy’s movements. While you feast on your Thanksgiving meal, catch up on the latest on-demand industry happenings with this week’s news roundup.

Instacart Raises Another $271 Million

Over the past few months, Instacart has held a consistent spot in our news roundups. This week, the on demand grocery delivery startup has reportedly raised another $271 million.

The company is staying silent about this Series F round, but one of the prominent investors is Tiger Global Management.

Known for their investments in Uber, Flipkart, Glassdoor, and Spotify, their Instacart funding is just one of many new investments made by Tiger Global since starting a new $3.75 billion tech fund. The venture capitalist powerhouse was joined by Coatue Management and Valiant Capital — both of whom already have stakes in Instacart.

Adding to the $600 million investment from D1 Capital last month, Instacart has raised an impressive $1.87 billion overall, with the latest round valuing the company at $7.87 billion.

Knack Snags $1.5 Million From Investors

On Monday, Knack announced a highly successful seed funding round. The peer-to-peer tutoring startup scored $1.5 million from investors, which is a considerable amount considering they only launched two years ago.

The funding round was led by Precursor Ventures and Jeffry Vinik, but also included Bisk Ventures, Elysium Venture Capital, and Arizona State University.

Knack differs from other on-demand tutoring services as the company also partners directly with educational institutions.

This arrangement offers more long-term security, as the university contracts are set for specific periods of time instead of relying solely on student demand.

Knack also offers the ability to give group tutoring sessions.

Booking A Knack Group Session

 

Considering the amount of interest in the company, Knack has the potential to become a permanent staple in the education industry, especially if it expands its focus to include primary and secondary schools.

Wonolo Announces $32 Million Funding Round

While Knack is gaining ground in higher education, Wonolo is gaining momentum in the blue-collar sector. Monday morning, the on-demand staffing company announced it landed $32 million for the Series C funding round, bringing their total to $52.9 million overall.

The latest round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, which previously invested in DocuSign, SurveyMonkey, and LinkedIn. Their Wonolo investment comes five days after Bain announced a new $1 billion fund aimed at early stage startups. Other investors in the Series C round included Tuesday Captial, Base10 Partners, Sequoia Capital, and DAG Ventures.

 

 

Labor-based work has been largely overlooked in the Silicon Valley, but the demand is undoubtedly there. Shiftgig is currently the only other strong competitor in the industry. While the company boasts $56 million in investments, it only has 15,000 contractors signed up. Wonolo’s 300,000 user workforce and collaboration with big companies, like Coca-Cola, give them the upper hand.

Lyft Updates Rider App & Releases Charity Contribution Totals While Uber Launches Jump In Seattle

Late last week, Lyft announced some coming new updates to their app. Soon, riders will have the option to set a default tip amount as well as choose an amount mid-ride. The other rider feature involves a five-star default rating for every trip that the rider doesn’t score on their own. Along with app updates, the company also announced that they’ve raised $10 million for charities through the app’s Round Up & Donate feature — which launched in 2017.

While Lyft focuses on PR and app improvements, Uber has turned their attention to the Seattle bike-sharing market. Joining Lyft and Lime, Uber is launching around 300 of its Jump e-bikes in Emerald City this week, with hopes to reach 5,000 rentals by early 2019. Even though Uber hasn’t yet made an app-update announcement, it’s likely to occur this holiday season. Both companies announced new rider reward programs last week, and in the last month, their subscription service launches were back-to-back.

The back and forth between the two rideshare competitors is the new normal. But just because the year is almost over, don’t expect either Lyft or Uber to go silent. With their 2019 IPOs looming, the race is on and neither team is likely to rest on their laurels until they’ve reached the public market.

Don’t worry about missing a single announcement over your Thanksgiving break! We’ll keep an eye on all things side hustle related and alert you to the biggest on demand news in next week’s roundup. Until then, ponder this: what do you think the next announcement is going to be from Lyft and Uber? And who will get there first?