SA StartUp JEM Seeks To Connect Faraway Deskless Employees With Employers
SA StartUp JEM Seeks To Connect Faraway Deskless Employees With Employers. 80% of the world’s workforce does not sit at a desk. They’re referred to as deskless or frontline workers, and they’re 2.7 billion strong across industries like manufacturing, agriculture, retail, hospitality, logistics and more. Despite being the majority, they have been overlooked by technology providers, with only 1% of enterprise tech being built for the deskless worker.
These frontline workers demand new technology that recognizes their unique needs and, at the very least, equals the experience of their office counterparts. Their employers desperately need a better way to connect and engage with their deskless workforce. The founders of Jem, founded the company in order to meet those very specific needs, and build an HR system for the world’s deskless workers.
In May 2020 the company set out to break the payday debt cycle and change the way employees accessed their earnings. In November 2022, it launched its rebrand with a fresh new name and look, and a renewed focus on its vision. In March 2023, Jem was accepted into Google’s three-month accelerator program for highest-potential tech startups based in Africa. It was the only South African startup in the cohort.
When the company started its journey, it had major ambitions. Its business started by focusing on on-demand pay products, which is why the company was first called ‘SmartWage’. But its range of products – and ambitions – have grown far beyond wages, and it needed a new name that would reflect that. The founders also thought about the brand’s greater purpose and its renewed focus on frontline workers.
Connecting the office with these faraway deskless employees is really at the heart of what the company does, and it’s essentially a form of long-distance communication. “When you look at recorded human history, one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication is through drums. The most well-known ‘talking drum’ of them all is the Djembe. Our name, Jem, was taken from the middle of that word. It helps us encapsulate our new direction and commitment to helping employers connect with their faraway teams.” The company said on its website.
