DAS presents - Virtual Teams in a Gig Economy

When:  May 20, 2021 from 12:00 to 13:00 (ET)
While the gig economy provides flexible jobs for millions of workers globally, a lack of organization identity and co-worker bonds contributes to their low engagement and high attrition rates. To test the impact of virtual teams on worker productivity, retention and well-being, we conduct a field experiment with 27,790 drivers on a ride-sharing platform. We organize drivers into teams that are randomly assigned to receiving their team ranking, or individual ranking within their team, or individual performance information (control).  We find that treated drivers generate significantly higher revenue. Furthermore, drivers in the team ranking treatment continue to be more engaged three months after the end of the experiment. Survey data suggest that peer learning and team identity contribute to the virtual team efficacy.