Jem Raises $8.4M Series a for WhatsApp HR Tools

In Short

Jem says it has raised $8.4 million (over R100 million) in Series A funding.

The South Africa-focused company uses WhatsApp as the main channel for HR tasks for deskless workers, people who do not sit at a computer for work.

Jem says it invested the funding into growing its teams, technologies, and platform capabilities.

What Happened: How Jem Runs HR And Payroll Touchpoints On WhatsApp

Jem digitises HR workflows for deskless workers, including payslip distribution, employee communications, leave requests, and smart rostering.

In an interview, Jem co-founder and chief product officer Caroline van der Merwe said the venture-backed business has growth plans aimed at making life easier for employers and employees.

Van der Merwe said Jem has used the Series A funding to grow its platform’s teams, technologies, and capabilities. She also said Jem rebuilt its software stack over the previous three months. She said the rebuild gives employers a smarter interface and helps Jem deliver features faster.

Jem also offers earned wage access, which lets an employee access a portion of wages they have already earned before payday. Van der Merwe said Jem’s research found that 31 percent of deskless workers use a mashonisa or payday loan to reach payday.

She said Jem charges two flat fees for earned wage access, 3.5 percent of the amount, plus R6 for a standard payment or R25 for an instant one. Van der Merwe said this can be up to seven times cheaper than a loan shark, and the amount is settled on payday.

Why It Matters: Attendance Tracking, Pay Access, And Device Finance

Jem is also leaning into workforce management through smart rostering and time and attendance. Employees or supervisors can clock in on a phone within a geofenced work location, which means clock-ins are limited to a set physical area. Employers get real-time visibility across multiple sites through a central dashboard, including GPS-enabled location data.

Beyond HR and scheduling, Jem includes financial education resources, a free savings account, and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which is a support service employers offer for personal or work-related problems.

Jem also provides mobile device financing and airtime and data bundles. Van der Merwe said about 80 percent of South Africans cannot access traditional device finance because they are not considered creditworthy, and Jem uses payroll deductions to spread repayments.

Van der Merwe said WhatsApp is a key reason adoption is high, because entry-level smartphones already have WhatsApp installed and digital literacy can be a barrier to workplace apps.