Hourly workers need HR tech also need to work effectively, and particularly to manage their shifts.
One popular app used in the US is When I Work.
The company has just raised $200 million from Bain Capital.
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Hospitality, and particularly the restaurant sector, has been badly impacted by the pandemic, particularly in the US.
Despite this, shift management app aimed at hourly workers and employers When I Work has experienced growth during the pandemic.
This is partly because it gained customers from the shift-based approach to the COVID-19 vaccine roll out, as well as word of mouth as workers asked new employers to implement the tech as they had used it in previous roles, according to Tech Crunch.
CEO Martin Hartshorne told Tech Crunch: “We have hit a new phase” where growth is above 35% and the company is in profit.
“The customers love the product and culture is really good. We’ve got something great and it’s time to go for it.”
In this context, When I Work has just closed a $200 million investment from Bain Capital’s Tech Opportunities fund. This is described as a “major growth investment”, but the companies didn’t declare its valuation.
A bright future for When I Work
The company plans to use the funding to deepen its control of the US market, as well as expand globally.
It will also help it to further expand its product beyond shift management and workplace communication. When I Work already offers payroll integrations, as well as data and analytics tools, to its 10 million workers and 200,000 company customers, but it wants to continue to grow its offering both organically and through acquisitions.
Talking about the investment, Phil Meicler, managing director at Bain Capital’s Tech Opportunities said that: “In today’s modern workforce, having a solution that yields such clear productivity gains and strong employee engagement are unique.
“Doing what it does at scale and efficiently is difficult to execute. The combination of growth and profitability was a core part of why we were excited about When I Work.”
“Building out the product through the eyes of the employees what else they use, how we could extend to make their lives easier, is the aim, and it has a terrific foundation in scheduling.
“It has a unique opportunity to grow organically and through mergers and acquisitions.”
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