Coople, the new Uber-style app for gig economy jobs

This time the app is called Coople and it is being hailed as the gig economy answer to Uber

Just like short-term property leasing through Airbnb, taxis through Uber and even dinner through Deliveroo, staff are now one of the things you can book with ease using yet another new app. This time the app is called Coople and it is being hailed as the gig economy answer to Uber.

What is Coople?

The confusingly-titled Coople is not a matchmaking dating site, as the name might suggest, but an app that helps those looking for short-term staffing solutions and those looking for ad hoc work to come together in perfect harmony. Users can scroll though jobs based on location and relevance and be signed up to jobs by applying on the app and then being approved by the employer/recruiter.

Coople is not actually that new – it has been around for over five years in Switzerland, where 100,000 users are signed up along with 5,000 recruiters. Many recruiters build up a pool of potential people to call upon when they need workers.

Whilst this does not offer job security to those employed on ad hoc jobs, it does leave them free to take on as many jobs with as many employers as they wish, technically allowing employers to share their recruitment pool. The staffing app is now being launched in the UK and is being hailed as a ground-breaking concept that helps both those looking for work and those needing flexible people at the last minute.

What are gig economy jobs?

Sometimes referred to as the ‘gig economy’ or the ‘on-demand market’, these are short notice roles that may be one-offs and last just a few hours. Roles that generally fit into this category include security, stewarding and bar staff for events and gigs, hence the term ‘gig economy’. It may also include one-off cleaning jobs, general temping roles, factory work or catering roles.
How does the app work?

Just like Uber, the money all goes through the app so that staff are guaranteed their earnings provided they turn up and do the job. After each gig, the recruiter and worker alike can rate each other out of five. Signing up to the app and getting work costs nothing, but recruiters pay a hirer fee for each position filled via Coople.

Whether this app takes over from traditional temp agencies, we are yet to see. For many roles, nothing can replace that important human recruitment consultant – the golden link between the employer and the employee.

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