Workwhile Raises $3.5M for Flexible Hourly Work

Recent discussions surrounding the gig economy have prompted Jarah Euston to suggest a reevaluation of how we approach the broader category of hourly employment.

Euston, formerly an executive at the mobile advertising company Flurry and a co-founder of data operations startup Nexla, explained that despite 80 million Americans receiving hourly wages, the existing system often proves unsatisfactory for both businesses and their employees.

Employers frequently experience high employee turnover and absenteeism, while workers often face unpredictable work schedules and difficulty securing sufficient working hours. To address these issues, Euston has partnered with co-founder Amol Jain to establish WorkWhile, and they have secured $3.5 million in seed funding to support their efforts.

WorkWhile functions as a marketplace connecting hourly workers with available shifts. Employers specify the shifts they need to fill, and workers indicate their preferred hours. This allows companies to adjust their workforce size as needed, and provides workers with the ability to choose when they work.

“By creating a shared pool of labor, we aim to deliver the flexibility desired by both parties,” Euston stated.

WorkWhile carefully vets potential workers through individual interviews, background checks, and assessments grounded in cognitive science, with the intention of identifying qualified and dependable candidates.

Employers remit a service fee to WorkWhile, while the platform remains free for workers to use. Demonstrating a commitment to its workforce, the startup plans to invest in additional benefits, beginning with accrued sick leave based on hours worked and expedited payments delivered to debit cards the following day.

“Finding employment that accommodates your needs and doesn’t impose a rigid schedule can be challenging,” commented Michael Zavala, a platform user, in a released statement. “WorkWhile offered precisely what I was seeking – the opportunity to build a full-time schedule on my own terms.”

The company is initially launching its services in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Dallas-Forth Worth metropolitan area.

Considering the prevailing economic and employment conditions during the pandemic, a substantial number of individuals are likely seeking additional work. Euston also noted a fluctuating demand from employers – while some companies have implemented hiring freezes or reductions, others have experienced rapid growth, including WorkWhile clients such as restaurant supplier Cheetah, meal delivery service Thistle, and horticultural e-commerce company Ansel & Ivy.

The funding round was spearheaded by Khosla Ventures, with additional participation from Stitch Fix founder and CEO Katrina Lake, Jennifer Fonstad, F7, Siqi Chen, Philipp Brenner, Zouhair Belkoura, and Nicholas Pilkington.

“Many hourly workers are dedicated and dependable, but some encounter personal difficulties requiring support,” explained Vinod Khosla in a statement. “Businesses often view these employees as easily replaceable due to high turnover, but with respect and appropriate assistance, they can become valuable, long-term contributors. WorkWhile seeks to address this challenge.”