Adeib - The Airtasker

Airtasker Innovative Platform or vehicle for 'cowboy tradies'?

Adeib scored his job as 9/10 (with ten being the most fantastic job imaginable).

Adeib is a young computer science student from Afghanistan. He’s been doing airtasker[1] odd-jobs tasks part-time for about 3 months now, alongside his courier job and his studies.

Like other gig work, airtasker work is contentious. A recent ABC news story[2] described how the Airtasker site results in ‘cowboy tradies’ carrying out unsafe jobs, such as removing asbestos with insufficient protection or doing electrical tasks without qualifications.

And analysts have criticized Airtasker’s lack of essential employee protections, such as insurance, superannuation, and minimum pay rates[3], resulting in worker exploitation.

Unscrupulous clients

Certainly exploitation does happen. Adeib described how he accepted the job of moving a couch upstairs. When he turned up to do the work, there were five couches to move. Adeib didn’t insist that the client pay extra at the time, but he advises clients “next time just tell the truth…we just want to help”.

Airtasker’s rating system fuels the potential for exploitation. As Adeib described, “Good reviews are very important because they affect future work”. The fear of a bad rating prevents some airtaskers from chastising untruthful clients.

So far, in terms of ratings, Adeib is doing well: He has 22 reviews, with an overall score of 4.7 stars out of five (see below).

​Figure 1: Screenshot showing Adeib’s overall ratings, plus his review from me

Bad ratings

But sometimes the reviews can seem unfair, and there is little recourse. Adeib described his one star rating:

I got a bad rating moving a heavy fridge. The husband was drunk. He tried to tell my friend and I that we couldn’t move the fridge with the ute we had. We said, “ok, we don’t want to do it”. He said “you are here now, do it”.  The fridge got a dent and then they (the clients) put a bad rating and didn’t want to pay… Airtasker got involved. The client had to pay, but not as much, so I got paid less. Sometimes people are difficult.

The client, unsurprisingly, has a different view of what happened (see Figure 2). It is difficult to know where the truth lies, although perhaps a clue is how at odds the fridge-moving client’s view is with the other 21 reviews.

Figure 2: Feedback for Adeib from the fridge-moving task

A chance for skill development

In spite of these challenges, so far – just three months into the work – Adeib enjoys his airtasker work, rating it 9 out of 10. He welcomes using the skills his construction-engineer father in Afghanistan taught him. He likes the interaction with (most) clients. And he appreciates developing new skills, such as how he has learnt about gardening through helping out his airtasking friend.

Adeib even feels airtask work is reasonably well paid “most of the time”, although he feels that Airtasker’s 15% cut is “too much”.  Indeed, the Holy Grail for Adeib is when the airtasker job leads to more lucrative cash jobs, directly negotiated with the client.

So far Adeib is a happy airtasker worker. And with his almost-five star rating, and his success rate in getting work (estimating he gets “about 60% of the jobs he goes for”), perhaps this positive experience will continue. So long as he can stay away from ladies with lots of couches and drunk husbands...

References

[1] Airtasker is a service platform in which consumers advertise a task (with a suggested fee), workers then bid for the work, the client allocates the work to their preferred airtasker, and then, after it is completed, the client releases payment and rates the quality of the work. See airtasker.com

[2] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-09/unions-raise-safety-concerns-over-gig-economy-cowboys/9529736

[3]https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/AvoidanceofFair/Work/Report

Behind the scenes

by Sharon Parker

Adeib came to my house to assemble IKEA furniture. I estimated it was 3 hours work and offered $100, using Airtasker’s suggested guide for an hourly rate. In suggesting this amount, I must admit I didn’t think at all that airtasker would take a cut (obvious in hindsight). It feels to me like Airtasker should be clear about their fee so clients can take that into account when costing the work.

After I posted the task, six airtaskers responded within about ten minutes. I chose Adeib because his price was in line with what I expected (he wasn’t the cheapest nor the most expensive) and he had good ratings. I felt mean not choosing the other fast-responding airtaskers, especially with their pleas for the job: “I am the best person to help you” and “Please assign me”.

Adeib was a gentle young man, a little overwhelmed by the whole experience of having a professor wanting to interview him whilst an artist sketches him! But he was obliging. I just tried to avoid asking questions when he was reading the instructions (Ikea instructions being as they are!). We talked about his job, how he came to Australia (a sponsored visa because of some volunteer work with the Australian defence force in Afghanistan), his family, and his country. He very much appreciates being in Australia, and having the chance to study.

As it turned out, the furniture assembly took longer than I had expected (almost certainly slowed down by me asking Adeib questions) so I increased Adeib’s payment on the Airtasker platform and gave him a small cash tip. I had a struggle “releasing the payment” through Airtasker (this has happened before) - stressful because I wanted to pay Adeib straight away. I wrote to Airtasker to get them to release the payment, which took a couple of days. At last the payment went through. I then rated Adeib (5/5) and he rated me (5/5).

Adeib seems to be a hardworking and conscientious young man. Strangely, I will be able “watch” his progress through airtasker: how much work he gets, his ratings and reviews, and how long he lasts on the platform.

Managing the Pressures of Being a Principal

by Caroline Knight and Daniela Andrei

‘One in five school principals is overwhelmed by workplace stress’ is the title of one news article[1], and another laments the recent event of a principal in Western Australia found dead at her desk[2].

The job of a school principal is undoubtedly complex, requiring self-control, critical thinking and agility. The job can be emotionally draining. Current estimates suggest that the demands of the job are 1.5 times higher than those of the general population, with the associated incidence of burnout being 1.6 times higher, stress 1.7 times higher, sleeping difficulties 2.2 times higher, and depressive symptoms 1.3 times higher [1]. Another recent report suggests that nearly half of all teachers say they experience a high level of stress every day which can lead to irritability, mood swings, exhaustion, depression, and anxiety[3].

Emma agrees her job as a school principal is stressful. On top of a relentless workload, having to manage change is one of the biggest challenges. Some people ‘jump on board’ and are ‘ready to go’ whereas others ‘you have to nudge along’. Sometimes, people just don’t want things to change.

Another challenge is having to reign in demands facing the school from external sources. To maintain focus and avoid stretching resources beyond capacity, Emma must make decisions about which opportunities to take advantage of and which to let go. This can be hard, particularly when everyone can have a different view of what the ‘right’ or ‘best’ thing to do is. Whilst it is empowering to be able to make these decisions, Emma acknowledges it can feel a little lonely at times.

What helps Emma to cope with the pressures of the job?

Apart from the fact that she loves the work because of the chance to make a difference, support from colleagues is an important aspect of her work. Research shows that social support can buffer the negative effects of job demands, such as stress, burnout, and poor performance[4]. It seems that Emma’s job is highly socially embedded, with numerous interactions with other staff and parents. Grant and Parker[5] identify the importance of the relational aspect of work design and it is this aspect which seems particularly important for success in this role, and upon which Emma seems to thrive.

Recovery is also important. Emma manages the demands of her job by walking her dog as well as by imposing a rule that she does not read work emails over the weekend. She encourages her staff to do the same, and asks that really urgent matters, which cannot be left over the weekend, are communicated to her via a phone call.  These steps enable Emma to detach from the work.

Emma’s strategy accords with research showing that recovery from work is essential for employee well-being and performance, preventing stress and burnout, and providing the individual with the resources necessary to deal efficiently with the new day ahead.

When that new day involves as many challenges as faced by the average school principal, returning to school after the weekend feeling refreshed is especially important.

References

[1] Robinson, N. (2018, February 21). School principals at higher risk of burnout, depression due to workplace stress, survey finds. ABC News Online. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-21/principals-overwhelmed-by-workplace-stress-acu-survey-finds/9468078

[2] Fraser, A. (2018, March 9). ‘It’s a lonely job’: how can we help stressed-out principals? ABC News Online. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-09/school-principals-stress-public-private-teacher-support/9522360

[3]Ansley, B. M., Meyers, J., McPhee, K., Varjas, K. (2018, March 2). The hidden threat of teacher stress, The Conversation. Retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/the-hidden-threat-of-teacher-stress-92676  

[4] Bakker, A. B. & Demerouti, E. (2007). The job demands-resources model: state of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309-328.

[5]Grant, A. M. & Parker, S. P. (2009). The Academy of Management Annals, 3(1), 317-375. 

Behind The Scenes

We head towards the small administrative quarters of the school just after the morning recess. Heading there, we see Emma hurrying towards her car. She had to leave for a few minutes, the administrative assistant tells us, but she will be right back. Indeed, in about 10 minutes Emma is back and our interview can start. These things can happen quite often she said, only yesterday she was caught up in several meetings outside the school.

Emma’s office is situated at the end of the admin quarter and is cosy and quiet. She mentions that it doesn’t feel that it is fully her office – most of the things belong to the usual principal who Emma is substituting for, but she doesn’t seem very phased about it. We have the sense that spending time in this office is not what Emma likes to do anyway, she seems a very hands-on, involved Principal who likes to walk around the school and get involved in activities that are happening with the children.

Emma is a Principal at a small public school in WA. There are not many children running around. The atmosphere is calm and friendly compared to larger schools, and all the children seem to know each other. Normally, the Principal would also know each and every child in the school, and Emma is beginning to achieve this, despite only temporarily occupying the position of Principal. Emma appeared to be very active and involved in the school, trying to make her mark and implement a few of her ideas during her short stay.  

We noted that this is not the first time that Emma is substituting a Principal, she has taken on a few of these temporary appointments in the past 2 years, at different schools across WA. Her usual role is as Deputy Principal but she has enjoyed the opportunities provided by the Principal position and is now considering a full transition to a Principal role.

Implementing Virtual Learning

Updating Work is So Much More Than Updating Technology

by MK Ward

A common misconception is that “technological perfection” and magical algorithms are what it takes to transform work. This myth disregards how technology needs to be accepted by workers and embedded into work routines, for it to be useful. 

Stuart and his team from Telstra have witnessed the importance of this statement many times. Over several years of a partnership with the Department of Education, the team has worked hard to support virtual learning in the Pilbara. Stuart has worked with Chloe, and with worked with others in Telstra, to improve network connectivity in the Pilbara and in other remote regions to supply the technology for video conferencing.

One might expect that - as a telecommunications company responsible for cell phone service – the team’s focus is entirely technical. Technical expertise is important, but achieving an impact through new technology requires much more than installing a connection or getting a new device. Successful impact requires bridging the gap between the work being done by real, live human beings, and the technology. As Stuart observed:

“(To make an actual difference)… I’m on the ground, talking with teachers in the classrooms. I need to learn about the scenarios that are important to them and that help student learning. From those scenarios, I then talk with [our expert on current and emerging technologies], who recommends technological solutions.” 

Stuart also supports teachers to help them to see how technology can be useful:

“The biggest challenge is teachers’ mindset where they see (technology) as a burden and they can’t look past what they think they know… Once they see it happen and are supported in trying to implement it, then they get involved.”

From a work design perspective, new technology can – initially at least – be an additional job demand. So it is important that the end-users (in this case, the teachers) get the support they need to cope with the added challenge that comes with new technology. Support comes from help with troubleshooting, and equally valuable, as suggestions for better ways to leverage the technology to help teachers teach. Research shows that support can be an important buffer against excess job demands, which can otherwise lead to work stress.

Providing support is important not only for the recipient, but also the provider of the support, namely Stuart in this case. Stuart rates his job a 9 out of 10 “because of the impact you can have.” He values the opportunity to change the lives of students and teachers through the effective use of technology.

Incidentally, just like Chloe teaching in the Pilbara , Stuart also appreciates the autonomy is his job because it allows him to craft his work. “[I value] the flexibility of being able to pursue interests, and to turn the job into what I want it to be.”

It seems that the good work design in Stuart’s job enables him to support work design improvements for his clients, thereby making good work design contagious.