Deliveroo Singapore rolls out month-long wellness initiatives for riders to mark World Mental Health Day

To mark World Mental Health Day (10 October), Deliveroo Singapore has rolled out a series of wellness initiatives aimed at empowering riders to take charge of their physical and mental health in partnership with the Health Promotion Board (HPB). Starting from 30 September, the month-long wellness initiative includes health screening sessions, health coaching and mental well-being talks.

The wellness programme is an enhancement to Deliveroo's ongoing support initiatives for its over 11,000-strong rider fleet, and follows the success of Deliveroo’s collaboration with Silver Ribbon (Singapore) last year on a series of mental wellness workshops aimed at helping Deliveroo riders to stay mentally resilient during the pandemic.

Health screening and coaching sessions for all riders With the belief that a healthy and fit body promotes good mental health, Deliveroo is working with HPB to conduct health screening sessions for all eligible riders. The first session on 30 September was well-received with more than 80 riders attending, and the second session will take place on 13 October. Health coaching sessions will also be conducted post-screening on 11 and 18 October at Deliveroo Food Market at Alice@Mediapolis, for the convenience of the riders when they visit the venue to collect their delivery orders. Additionally, riders will have the opportunity to sign up for HPB’s National Steps Challenge Corporate Challenge.

On his experience attending the health screening session, Deliveroo rider, Mr Wong, said, “After being part of the health screening session, I am now more aware of my current health condition and can keep track of my own health. I am glad that Deliveroo cares for their riders such as myself by organising workplace health sessions for us, and I am looking forward to participating in the health coaching sessions later this month to learn more about the lifestyle tips that can improve my physical health.”

Prioritising riders’ mental health Besides encouraging riders to take charge of their physical health, Deliveroo will also be working with HPB to run two virtual mental well-being talks for riders on 10 and 28 October. The mental well-being talks will equip participants with knowledge and tips on mental wellness, stress management and mindfulness, which they can adopt in their daily life.

“Riders are the lifeblood of our business, and we are constantly exploring new ways to build a positive and healthy working environment. I am deeply encouraged to see so many riders attend just the first health screening session. At Deliveroo, we strongly believe that physical and mental wellness are interconnected and through our partnership with the Health Promotion Board, we are confident that we can help our riders to live life to the fullest with their loved ones through a healthy body, mind and soul,” said Jason Parke, General Manager, Deliveroo Singapore.

Mr Simon Lim, Director, Workplace Health and Outreach, Health Promotion Board, said, “This collaboration is part of HPB’s growing focus on providing the gig economy workforce with greater access to relevant health programmes that cater to their needs so that they can take charge of their health. We are heartened by the support from partners like Deliveroo who play a key role in our efforts to help the workers be more aware of their health conditions and pick up healthier practices to enhance their physical and mental well-being.”

The roll-out of the relevant health programmes is part of Deliveroo’s 2nd annual Rider Safety Month campaign. Held throughout October, the campaign covers a series of safety initiatives, including a new Power-Assisted Bicycle (PAB) and Cyclist Safety Programme to equip Deliveroo riders with the necessary knowledge to manoeuvre cycling paths and road safely, an expanded Defensive Riding Course held in conjunction with ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, and a basic first aid skills training by the Singapore Red Cross Society. Last year’s Rider Safety Month introduced Flare (formerly Busby), a global safety app that gave riders access to information like incident detection and danger hot spots. Another key initiative was the pilot programme of Rider Dome, an Advanced Rider Assistance System which analyses real-time data and detects potential threats on the road.