By Samantha Finglass
While there is rarely a shortage in need for temporary workers, businesses and workers don’t always have the easiest time connecting. Finding the right people at the right time is stressful for employers, and individuals have to hassle through a temp agency. The newly launched Robal App sets out to change that.
The market for temporary work is by no means new; however, it faces many challenges. Even in a college town full of students looking for short-term work to make an extra buck on the weekends, employers find themselves short-staffed.
“Robal App was designed here in Bryan College Station by a couple of people in the service industry who found it hard to find labor and temporary workers for special events,” says Emily Fahner, director of marketing and sales for Robal. “The app helps both businesses in filling shifts and people in finding work.”
The app gets its name from the service it helps connect. “Robal” is simply “labor” in reverse. Fahner tributes this to the company’s mission of changing the way businesses think about hiring temporary workers.
Robal seeks to provide an easy and effective digital interface to help both sides of temporary employment. When signed up as a Roballer, or an individual seeking work, the app allows you to not just create a profile documenting your skills, but view all shifts available and apply for those that interest you and fit your schedule as well.
Unlike a traditional temp agency, Robal offers businesses a wealth of information about applicants before they hire. “Once they have applicants, businesses are able to see an individual’s work history, their rating from other businesses, their skill sets, and more before they actually hire,” says Fahner. “The benefit is that you know exactly who you are getting when they show up on the day of the event.”
An advantage of the digital platform is the immediacy Robal offers for both sides of the exchange. “We even do well with events that are posted as close as 24 hours in advance,” says Fahner. “What this means for workers is you no longer have to wait on a temp agency to give you an assignment. Right from your smart phone you are able to find opportunities to make some extra money and choose those that work best for you. As a business, as soon as Roballers have applied, you can instantly hire.”
Additionally, Robal helps businesses save money when hiring temporary workers. “We charge a flat rate based on the wage set for the job, which helps businesses keep costs down when hiring work,” says Fahner.
As a Roballer, one of the best aspects of the app’s system is the ability to set varying hours based on your availability. “Not everyone can take an extra job, so Robal helps people make ends meet without being on a contracted regular schedule,” says Fahner. This allows Roballers to achieve the company’s mission statement, “Make Money Your Way.”
Robal is open to businesses and workers of all fields, however, they find the most success in hospitality or similar industries that traditionally hire lots of temporary workers. “We have lots of banquet servers and bartenders, but we’ve worked with a variety of employers, even funeral homes,” says Fahner.
Robal is available for download in both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
