Ajay (name changed), working as a delivery person of a popular online-delivery platform, was rushing to deliver his order, but got stuck in peak-hour traffic and thus was late to deliver his order. He called up the customer to inform his situation. Instead of being empathetic, the customer called up his company to complain. Soon enough, Ajay lost his job. Hamid (name changed) was abused when he accidentally pressed the doorbell of a house. The list is endless.
In the world of instant delivery, every other day, we hear stories where delivery persons are abused or assaulted. Often they have to travel in the harsh sun, wind, and rain, face longer hours of work, and traffic snarls.
"There has been a consistent growth in consumer confidence for ordering online, steered by tech-led delivery networks. This, in turn, has unlocked the long-term potential of ready-to-eat food delivery," head of the Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research, Prabhu Ram, told IANS. "For food delivery startups seeking to attain sustainable and long-term market leadership, this market opportunity requires them to deliver not just on the instantaneous consumer delight, but rather the employee experience as well," he added.
Owing to their tough workstyle, delivery persons often face a lot of stress, which can affect their mental health. "Uncertainties of day to day life, life risks, long time periods, financial stress — it certainly impacts mental health. As a result, they may engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms like consuming substances or other desperate measures to manage stress," Mimansa Singh Tanwar, clinical psychologist at Fortis Hospital, told IANS. "To maintain positive mental health for them, it is important to improve the manager-employee relationship where the former practices values of empathy, integrity, gratitude, and positive encouragement towards them," she added.
Mimansa suggested that delivery persons should be incorporated in employee wellness programmes, and since there is also a connection between money and mental health, financial aids should also be there to support them. Delivery persons should "focus on what they can control and engage in healthy stress mechanisms like building good support systems through positive family and peer relationships, and avoid engaging in unhealthy consumption of substances," she noted.
In the movie Zwigato, helmed by Nandita Das, comedian and actor Kapil Sharma plays the role of a delivery person, and showcases their struggles. Kapil shared that the character made him realise how tough life is for delivery persons, and that he has become more empathetic towards them. "This movie made me realise the challenges that delivery persons face on a daily basis, and I have learned to appreciate their hard work and dedication even more. I am not saying tip them, but I am just saying that we can at least say a thank you with respect and that will make them happy," Kapil said.
Meanwhile, several food companies have started initiatives for its workers. Food delivery platform Zomato recently launched the Shelter Project, under which the company has set up public resting points where delivery persons can take a break from their exhausting routine and use amenities like the washroom, internet, and phone-charging stations. In August 2020, Zomato also introduced period leaves of 10 days in a year for its women employees (including transgender persons). Swiggy has rolled out ambulance service for delivery persons and their dependents in the case of emergencies.