5 min read

WorkClass Matches Frontline Job Seekers with Employers in Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asia, the frontline labor market remains large but fragmented.

500 Global Team

Published

24.11.20

We are always on the lookout for companies that help connect job seekers with employers. In Southeast Asia, the frontline labor market remains large but fragmented. While there are numerous job boards for white-collar workers, blue-collar workers are underserved. Because of this gap in the SEA market, we are excited about WorkClass, a job board for blue-collar workers that helps job seekers in Singapore find work in under 24 hours.

The Nuts & Bolts 

Problem: Due to COVID-19 layoffs, many job seekers are looking for work. Frontline workers are essential for daily operations, but logistics companies struggle to find enough staff due to high turnover and no-show rates.

Solution: WorkClass matches blue-collar job seekers and job hunters with their smart location-matching algorithm. It is the fastest way to match candidates and employers in SEA. With newer entrants in the delivery and logistics space and COVID-19 displacing a multitude of jobs, there is an even bigger need for a solution like WorkClass.

When 500 Met WorkClass 

The WorkClass team received a rave review from Magnus Grimeland, Founder and CEO of Antler, after they partook in its fourth Singapore cohort. Nikita Okulov, Co-Founder and CEO of WorkClass, was the general manager at Jobs Today, an identical platform for the UK market. Additionally, he has worked at Lamoda, the sister company to Zalora targeting the Kazakhstan market. He is joined by Co-Founder Stephan Bruggemann, who was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Antler in Singapore and Head of Engineering at Konigle.

WorkClass fits in nicely with our ESG criteria. By connecting blue-collar workers with jobs, it is helping to end poverty (UN Sustainable Development Goal 1), create quality jobs (UN Sustainable Development Goal 8), support the marginalized and disadvantaged (UN Sustainable Development Goal 10), among other goals.

Why Now?

The frontline labor market in SEA is exceptionally fragmented. Blue-collar workers and employers have a different set of challenges than white-collar jobs and an urgency to hire. Many platforms focus on office work (LinkedIn, JobsDB, Indeed, etc.), but there is no clear leader in the SEA market’s frontline worker space. 

There are newer entrants in the delivery and logistics space in the region. At the same time, COVID-19 has not only displaced a multitude of jobs, but also created a new set of employment needs.

WorkClass solves a central challenge for both job seekers who want to find work and employers who need many frontline workers on hand. The company provides a supply of essential daily workers for employees and a direct access for frontline job seekers to land a job in 24 hours. 

Job seekers can apply for a job and build a profile all through chatting with a bot on WhatsApp or Telegram (native apps). The platform uses a location-based matching algorithm to show only candidates in the employer’s vicinity, which increases interview attendance by 80%. It also provides gamification for job seekers who get points if they use WorkClass to find a job; they can use those points on shopping, etc., with its affiliate partners.  

Future of WorkClass 

WorkClass plans to be the leader in this space in Singapore, Malaysia, and eventually, Indonesia. Its smart location-matching algorithm, application process via native apps, and catering to an essential class of workers can help it achieve this goal.

You can learn more about WorkClass at https://workclass.co.

If you would like to learn more about ideas, sectors, and trends that we are excited about as well as receive invitations to exclusive previews, and expert roundtables, please sign up here

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: 500 STARTUPS PROGRAMS (INCLUDING ACCELERATOR PROGRAMS), INVESTOR EDUCATION SERVICES, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP CONSULTING SERVICES AND EVENTS ARE OPERATED BY 500 STARTUPS INCUBATOR, L.L.C. (TOGETHER WITH ITS AFFILIATES, “500 STARTUPS”) AND THE FUNDS ADVISED BY 500 STARTUPS MANAGEMENT COMPANY, L.L.C. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY REVENUE GENERATED BY THESE ACTIVITIES. SUCH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANY CONTENT PROVIDED AS PART OF ANY SUCH PROGRAMS, SERVICES OR EVENTS BE CONSTRUED AS INVESTMENT, LEGAL, TAX OR ACCOUNTING ADVICE BY 500 STARTUPS OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES.

THIS POST IS INTENDED SOLELY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING 500 STARTUPS AND THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTFOLIO COMPANY. ALL CONTENT PROVIDED IN THIS POST IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. 500 STARTUPS MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OR INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS POST AND WHILE 500 STARTUPS HAS TAKEN REASONABLE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS POST IS ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE, NO LIABILITY CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY ERROR OR OMISSIONS.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANY INFORMATION OR CONTENT IN THIS POST, BE CONSIDERED AS AN OFFER TO SELL OR SOLICITATION OF INTEREST TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES OR AS INVESTMENT, LEGAL, TAX OR ACCOUNTING ADVICE FURNISHED BY 500 STARTUPS. FURTHER, NO CONTENT OR INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS POST IS OR IS INTENDED AS AN OFFER TO PROVIDE ANY INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICE OR FINANCIAL ADVICE BY 500 STARTUPS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYTHING HEREIN BE CONSTRUED AS FUND MARKETING MATERIALS BY PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS CONSIDERING AN INVESTMENT INTO ANY 500 STARTUPS INVESTMENT FUND.

ALL LOGOS AND TRADEMARKS OF THIRD PARTIES REFERENCED HEREIN ARE THE TRADEMARKS AND LOGOS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. ANY INCLUSION OF SUCH TRADEMARKS OR LOGOS DOES NOT IMPLY OR CONSTITUTE ANY APPROVAL, ENDORSEMENT OR SPONSORSHIP OF 500 STARTUPS BY SUCH OWNERS.

500 Global Team