1099 Weekly: Could you work 130 hours in a week?
Tech CEOs have built massively successful companies on the idea of the 130-hour workweek. But are long hours the right idea to be spreading widely? Interesting new data shows that Uber drivers determine their working hours based more on anincome goal than following every surge. And a new report describes how to get the most from the economy of the crowd. Here’s your 1099 weekly roundup.
Labor and Wages
Stop touting the crazy hours you work. It helps no one. (4 min)
Jena McGregor, Washington Post
On average, we work 47 hours a week, but bragging about working more has become an American pastime. Studies show that productivity begins decreasing at 50 hours and plummets after 55 hours of work.
How Uber drivers decide how long to work (5 min)
Noam Scheiber, New York Times
Many drivers appear to target an income goal and stop once they've hit it. Which means they may quit sooner when fares are surging and work longer when wages are low, the opposite of what behavioral economists expect.
Women, Southerners most likely to earn minimum wage (4 min)
Andrew Soergel, US News
Everything you need to know about the current state of the minimum wage by demographic, and what future minimum wage changes may mean for workers.
Rideshare
G-Ride — Chicago-based ride-sharing startup first to use only “eco-friendly” vehicles (1 min)
James Ayre, Clean Technica
The startup uses only eco-friendly vehicles and plants one tree with every ride. They also save an acre of rainforest with every 100 rides.
Uber wants to bury the hatchet with NYC and help with its looming subway crisis (3 min)
Andrew J . Hawkins, The Verge
The L train, which carries 225,000 passengers per day, is shutting down for 18 months in 2019. Uber wants to capture those subway-less passengers.
Evercar rents hybrids by the hour to Uber, Lyft drivers (2 min)
Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle
Evercar allows drivers with older cars, or those that don't want to lease a new car, to get into the ridesharing game.
Crowd Economics
Understanding the economy of the crowd (5 min)
Philip Soffer, Techcrunch
If you run a business that utilizes the power of the crowd, you'll want to understand these key dynamics.
Until next time, have a great week.