Wurkr Blog

Uber, Deliveroo, and Other Semi-Self Employment

If you haven’t had the luxury of McDonald's delivered straight to your house by a man on a bike then you’re missing out (unless the idea of paying 2x for lukewarm fast food isn’t your idea of appetizing). Regardless of your opinion on paying for the added convenience of delivery of an already convenient meal fast-food meal, the industry is on the rise. Uber eats and Deliveroo fills a gap that for the longest time had no reason to be filled. These fast-food restaurants had no incentive to employ delivery drivers and so they didn't. It took a third party to take up this challenge, and in doing so, created a new form of employment.

The traditional office culture can feel like a bit of a ‘boys club’, cliquey and unfit for many people who’d otherwise be great fits for the work. Whether the current state of stagnant 9-to-5 office culture was designed to be implicitly tailored to be inaccessible or if that is just how it turned out is a difficult question, like the chicken and the egg. What is important is acknowledging the demographics that are disadvantaged by office culture and working towards a better future that is more inclusive: hybrid work. 

Introduction:

For the longest time, the relationship between the employer and employee has been out of balance, with employees lacking the power to stand up for themselves in the workplace. However more recently, thanks to a cultural movement that prioritises self-care and values life outside the office, employers have had to loosen their grip on the average workers' life - and have found out that it benefits them too anyway. 

With many big companies, like Robinhood, shifting to remote-first working environments, it is a wise idea for other office-based companies to at least consider the extra possibilities that moving to a flexible work-from-home system can bring. 

With all big transition periods, there are some people that can get left behind and need extra support to deal with the culture shifts. Understandably with office culture remaining largely unchanged since the mid-to-late 20th century after the second world war where developed nations settled down and began outsourcing factory work and shifting to the more ‘glamorous’ office workplace environment.

The phrase team-building gets a mixed response. For some, it represents fond memories of messing around with coworkers, feeling like you're featuring in a sitcom for a day. For others, it might be a day of awkward small talk and patronising professionals who got paid an undisclosed amount telling you to do trust falls and puzzles. Social capital is a concept that gives real value to our relationships and how we interact with each other. Teams that get on well and respect each other are more valuable than teams that only interact through emails and therefore have greater social capital.  Here are some easy-to-do team-building activities that are perfect for working from home. 

Nothing quite beats listening to a podcast on your morning walk or mid-afternoon break. Getting more work done and staying productive while you’re at it can be incredibly difficult when you’re working remotely—if you can find the time to listen to podcasts at all. While there are certainly fewer podcasts designed specifically with remote workers in mind, it’s still possible to find ones that can help you become more productive and get your work done, whether you listen during your commute or while on break at work. At Wurkr, we are massive fans of podcasts and so we have created a list of our favorite must-listen podcasts for remote workers. 

The era of remote working is here, and it is here to stay. In comparison to their in-office colleagues, remote workers are more productive, more engaged, and produce higher quality work. However, without the right kind of management, remote workers can struggle to get their work done—or worse, decide that they just don’t want to work at all! That’s why Wurkr was created: to make remote working more manageable and enjoyable for managers and workers alike. Here are the six unforgivable remote working mistakes everyone makes, as well as how Wurkr can help you prevent them!