Ryde is ​​the world’s first end-to-end delivery management company. Through focussing on improving the lives of flexible workers, it’s positioned itself as a truly innovative delivery business. The platform was born out of a longing to solve the broken platform worker landscape. One where couriers had no choice but to endure “sub-minimum wage pay with virtually no support, little transparency in the role, harsh penalties, no flexibility, not enough work”. 

Vitally, the business defines itself as a rider-first company. In real-terms, that translates to a host of tangible benefits, like better pay (20% more than other delivery apps), a blend of on-demand, shift, and scheduled jobs, and stellar live support. 

“At Ryde, every decision we make is based on being a ‘Riders First’ business. You are our most important customer and we’re working for you.” – Ryde website

Brenna is Ryde’s Head of Talent. She takes care of the company’s entire pool of riders – from the recruitment process to onboarding, then throughout their careers at Ryde. We recently chatted with her about the Ryde-Collective Benefits partnership to discover exactly how it’s helped the platform realise its commendable vision. 

The goal: Creating a happier, healthier, more productive workforce

Brenna told us that, before Ryde, there was a distinct lack of any company out there that was advocating for riders. (And platform workers in general.) 

“This industry has seriously boomed, especially during lockdowns. And these people have really not had someone advocating for them, [which is] how Ryde was born.”

Ultimately, Ryde’s mission is around making sure its riders to feel valued and cared for – just as much as those working in full-time positions at Ryde HQ. Brenna describes how they wanted a flexible benefits package to achieve this – something that represented the nature of the industry. 

“What we wanted more than anything was a partner that actually did their research on what it is the riders wanted, what they would benefit from, and what would make a meaningful contribution to their life.”

The solution: A benefits package that reflects Ryde’s ethos, and helps it to fully realise its vision

“When we were looking for a partner to help us with our rider benefits, Onsi were the obvious choice,” Brenna says. “We wanted to give our riders access to the absolute best, and Onsi truly do have the best reputation in our industry.” 

She goes on to describe how Ryde’s rider-first initiative is what it’s really all about. “We want to be the company that supports them in everything that they do and that advocates for them when they’re out on the streets,” she says. “Onsi really helps us achieve that, whether it’s a hot coffee on a cold night or getting that paid time off, it’s something that we so often take advantage of as full-time employees.” 

What is included in Ryde’s Onsi benefits package? 

Ryde’s Onsi benefits package means its riders can access products and services that help them improve their financial, mental and physical wellbeing. It includes things like:

1 Bespoke insurance created for riders

Riders can access a range of insurance covers to keep them protected against accident, injury, and more:

• Accident & Sickness Insurance (including permanent disablement and accidental death)

• Compassionate & Family Leave

2 Mental, Physical and Financial support

Riders can access a range of benefits that support their mental, physical and financial wellbeing, including:

• Mental health support: 24/7 emotional support, expert advice and counselling

• Digital GP

• Digital physiotherapy 

• Financial wellbeing support services

3 Savings on food, fuel, technology and more

Riders can enjoy regular savings on everyday products and services, from a quick coffee on the go, to their phone bill and food shops.

• Savings at major supermarkets

• Savings at tech stores

• Savings on experience days and eating out

The result: Happier riders, happier businesses

Brenna highlights that working with Onsi quickly made it obvious that there’s simply no debate to be had when it comes to treating platform workers right. “It’s an absolute necessity,” she says. “And our brands recognise that as well. Something at Ryde that we decided very early on was that ultimately a happy workforce is a very productive workforce, so our clients are benefiting along the way.”

And as for their experience of working with the Onsi team?

“The team at Onsi made it so easy to implement the solution. They were absolutely fantastic,” says Brenna. “Massive credit to the customer success team as well. From implementation right the way through to getting our riders excited about it, they were with us every step of the way.”

The future: further access to wellbeing support and benefits

Brenna envisions that future at Ryde is going to go hand-in-hand with working with Onsi. 

“Broadly I see three main issues that we’ll be tackling together – giving riders better access to pay, support, and benefits [...] and Onsi really feeds into all three of those. Looking forward, we know that there’s a lot to learn about this industry and there’s a lot to learn about what riders want, and we’re super excited to be on that journey together.” 

As the platform industry develops and grows, we can’t wait to see Ryde continue to lead the conversation, helping to shape a thriving industry that’s fair for all.

Interested in learning more about how Onsi benefits led to an 80% decrease in worker churn for Ryde? Head here.