Uber launches new app to connect gig workers with employers

In an effort to turn the struggling ride sharing company to profitability, Uber Technologies announced Thursday its has launched a new app called Uber Works. The app is aimed at connecting businesses with job seekers and temporary workers. Uber Works is a new platform that connects workers with big and small businesses. Uber Works helps small and mid-size businesses new ways to fill their staffing needs.

“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….,” Uber said in a blog post on its website.

Uber is starting in Chicago and plans to expand to other major cities. “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,” the company added.

Just last month, Uber laid off more than 400 workers. Uber continues to pivot and expand its businesses as it continues to struggle to turn a profit.