Foodpanda boosts mental health offerings for employees with Intellect tie-up

A 2021 survey conducted by Cigna’s 360 Wellbeing Survey reported that more than seven in 10 employees (72%) ranked mental health as the most important influence on their health and wellbeing, just ahead of physical health (70%).

“I want Foodpanda’s employees to feel psychologically safe in the workplace and there is no better way to do it than with technology that helps them access support quickly and conveniently,” said Ingo Laubender, head of people at Foodpanda.

“With the Intellect app, we can provide personalized support for employees working in different countries, which is especially important when Covid-19 has prevented in-person meetings and travels.

“The app can be a ‘friend’ that employees lean on, especially when they need immediate mental health support. It also destigmatizes the notion of speaking to a licensed professional. The app will not only help our team grow more resilient but also empower employees to use the skills learned to support their loved ones.”

How will Foodpanda-Intellect work together?

• In April 2021, employees in Singapore participated in a three-month pilot program to test the app and gauge its capacity to support them in managing day-to-day stress.

• Foodpanda claims the results of the trial were overwhelmingly positive – 98% of employees surveyed said they welcomed the Intellect app as a support tool in their daily lives. Today, over 250 employees based in Singapore have registered to use the app.

• The app will complement Foodpanda’s existing mental health resources to provide employees with well-rounded healthcare in the company.

• The app will allow employees to have access to an end-to-end comprehensive mental health system. This includes self-care and skills-building programs, telehealth consultations and rescue sessions, providing preventable, relatable and stigma-free mental health support.

• For example, there are self-guided tasks including the rescue sessions, which are bite-sized sessions (five to seven minutes) to provide in-the-moment mental support to users experiencing sudden mental discomfort. Users can choose from 15 sessions to manage stress, disappointment, anger and more.

• The sessions help users identify their core triggers and guide them with tips to manage them.

• There are also learning paths, which are four to six weeks of self-care and skills-building programs to help employees with common issues faced in their daily lives but also to help them excel as an individual. Programs include increasing confidence, boosting self-esteem and reducing procrastination, with actionable insights.

• Employees are able to pen down their thoughts and reflections, and track progress throughout their mental health journey in guided journals.

• They also have access to one-on-one sessions with behavioral coaches and licensed counselors on weekdays and weekends through audio or video call. Employees can tap on these sessions to manage day-to-day work or relationship challenges, as well as discuss ways to achieve personal development goals.