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This article is brought to you by foodpanda.
COVID-19 was undoubtedly a game changer for instant delivery service platforms like foodpanda.
Now with not only food takeaway as part of its service offerings but also an online grocery shopping service operating 24/7, with deliveries made in as fast as 10 minutes, it was thanks to foodpanda who kept us going when working from home during the pandemic.
One of the biggest challenges for foodpanda was how to keep both its customers, couriers, and employees safe. For the customers and delivery fleet, contactless delivery was a tidy solution for both while simultaneously promoting social distancing. For the fleet specifically, foodpanda regularly provides all couriers with protective equipment such as facemasks and hand sanitisers.
In addition, a partnership with Raze Technology not only provided medical-grade sanitising photocatalyst coating to the foodpanda offices and pandamart distribution centers, but for the fleet of riders and their thermal bags too.
Providing high flexibility to its fleet of freelance couriers in choosing their own work schedules, options and locations, is just one way foodpanda employs the best practices when it comes to managing gig workers. Leveraging technology, quick, transparent communication, and collaborations to offer upskilling to its fleet are others.
For back office employees, foodpanda kept its eyes out for wellbeing, hosting a sports challenge and wellness week every quarter to encourage employees to keep physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fit and healthy through workshops and classes like yoga, gym, mindfulness, and cooking. This helped add to its efforts in ensuring employees were looking after themselves and us over the last two years.
foodpanda also embraced work-life balance in a whole new way, adopting unlimited leave policy. This saw the team replacing special benefit leave such as birthday or exam leave with an unlimited paid leave policy to foster flexibility as well as respect each staff’s individual need to take leave regardless of the reason. Staff are trusted to take as much time off as they need in a year, which foodpanda firmly believes, “boosts productivity and work performance”. Evidently, foodpanda is at the forefront of being an employer of the future, especially when it comes to the gig economy.
As the demand for gig workers grows, foodpanda expects three core trends to take shape.
Firstly, a “slasher culture” will continue to emerge where people dabble in multiple jobs, allowing companies to hire on a need-to-scale basis. Secondly, a change in recruitment practices that includes more self-service, AI screening, and hiring people with the right skill sets for a specific project rather than background or seniority. Lastly, corporate culture development where permanent and gig workers are united in cultural values and striving towards the same cultural goals.
ALSO READ: Snapshot: Why employee safety and wellbeing should be HR's top responsibility
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