In a move aimed at bolstering support for its riders, Deliveroo has unveiled two significant initiatives: free childcare hours in partnership with childcare app Bubble, and an expansive education program in collaboration with Lynx Educate.
These pioneering efforts mark a significant stride in Deliveroo’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the welfare and development of its rider community.
As part of the partnership with Bubble, Deliveroo is offering 15 hours of free and flexible childcare to 1,000 riders, empowering them to work at times that suit their schedules.
The initiative aims to provide crucial support to riders with childcare responsibilities, enabling them to balance work and family life more effectively.
The partnership comes in response to a recent survey indicating that a majority of Deliveroo riders in the UK and Ireland are parents, with many expressing the need for childcare support.
Work-life balance
Sayim Ulus, a Deliveroo rider and father from London, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, highlighting its potential to alleviate the challenges of balancing work and family life. “This partnership shows that Deliveroo recognises the importance of family care and is actively working to support riders like me,” said Sayim. “The new free childcare hours will help balance work and family life, which can sometimes be a challenge for many riders.”
In tandem with the childcare initiative, Deliveroo is teaming up with Lynx Educate to provide riders and their families with access to over 1,500 educational courses spanning various disciplines, including languages, business management, data science, and coding. This initiative aims to offer riders unique opportunities for personal and professional development while working flexibly with Deliveroo.
Riders will have the flexibility to choose from a diverse range of online courses, enabling them to enhance their skills and broaden their learning horizons. Additionally, Deliveroo will sponsor 100 riders to pursue higher qualification certificates, further expanding opportunities for career advancement.
Aaron, a Deliveroo rider and freelance graphic designer, lauded the educational program based on his experience. “Between Deliveroo and my OpenClassroom course, I was able to work and study completely flexibly, and set my own schedule,” said Aaron. “The web development program helped me grow in confidence and learn new skills that set me up to land a fantastic new job opportunity.”
Development and welfare initiatives
Camilla Kater, SVP of Care and Rider at Deliveroo, emphasised the company’s commitment to investing in riders’ development and welfare. “The new free childcare offering not only gives parents more flexibility and opportunity to ride when they want but means they can use the time in their busy lives to develop through our expanded education and skills program,” stated Kater.
The initiatives have received widespread acclaim, with Tom Warnett, GMB Deliveroo Lead, hailing them as a positive step towards improving conditions for riders. “GMB welcomes this initiative as something we know is very important to riders,” said Warnett. “This is a positive step, and there is a lot more work to do.”
Deliveroo’s bold strides in supporting its rider community underscore its commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, where riders can thrive both personally and professionally. With these initiatives, Deliveroo sets a new standard for industry-wide support for gig workers, paving the way for a more equitable and sustainable future.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.