DoorDash makes its corporate staff moonlight as delivery workers. It's led to big changes to the app.

"About once a month, Cody Aughney delivers for DoorDash. It's not his usual job at the delivery company. Most of the time, he's the vice president of dasher and logistics for DoorDash. However, sometimes Aughney delivers coffees, salads, and other food through the company's WeDash program, which requires DoorDash corporate employees to make deliveries at least four times a year."

"The approach has become common in the gig work industry.Uber has a similar program, which puts corporate employees behind the wheel as ride-hailing drivers. The top brass at the major gig work companies have also gotten involved: The CEOs of Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have all said they've driven or delivered food for their respective apps. "If you're at the surface level, you're never going to actually realize what the problems are," DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said on a podcast in 2021."

WeDash requires DoorDash corporate employees to make at least four deliveries per year to gain on-the-ground insight into Dashers' daily experiences. The program began in 2015 and provides practical exposure for employees at various levels, including senior executives who sometimes deliver monthly. WeDash also functions as a channel for beta-testing new app features and identifying areas for improvement. Approximately 8 million people delivered for DoorDash last year. Similar programs exist at other gig companies, and top executives have participated to better understand operational problems such as tip baiting and service challenges.

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