What DoorDashing Teaches Us About Work

In this episode (and the accompanying essay), we take an unlikely teacher seriously: DoorDash. What looks like a simple food delivery app turns out to be a surprisingly clear window into how modern work actually functions — expectations, incentives, invisibility, and all.Using DoorDash as a metaphor, this piece explores how work gets fragmented, optimized, gamified, and sometimes dehumanized — and what that means for both workers and leaders.In this reflection, we explore:How algorithm-driven work reshapes motivation and behaviorWhy speed is rewarded more than sustainabilityHow “efficiency” often hides invisible laborThe emotional cost of rating systems and constant evaluationWhat happens when people become interchangeable units of productivityWhy customers rarely see the full scope of effort behind the serviceWhat leaders can learn from gig work about fairness, clarity, and dignityWe also reflect on what DoorDash reveals about the modern psychological contract at work — short-term, transactional, and built for output rather than belonging.Key takeaway:DoorDash isn’t just a delivery service — it’s a mirror. It reflects what we value, what we ignore, and how easily work becomes disconnected from the people doing it. Leaders who pay attention can learn how to build systems that honor effort instead of hiding it. Get full access to I'm Just Getting Started at imjustgettingstarted1.substack.com/subscribe