Tesco announces roll out of Peoplesafe app to support employees on their journey to and from work

Tesco is giving all its UK colleagues free access to a Peoplesafe app that can track their journeys and help them to raise the alarm if they don’t feel safe.

This follows feedback from employees who said they sometimes felt unsafe travelling to and from work. It helps address situations such as walking in an unfamiliar area late at night, facing aggression on the night bus or tube after a night out or using a private taxi alone.

By setting their destination and mode of transport before travelling, the app can automate welfare checks on their mobile to ensure they feel safe and allow them to raise an SOS alert if needed.

If they don’t arrive at their destination on time or fail to respond to messages asking if they feel safe, then the folks at Peoplesafe's control room will call to check they’re safe and can raise an alarm directly with local police if necessary. Once they arrive at their destination, the app automatically closes the tracing process.

Tesco does not receive any personal information about any colleague’s use of the app or any alarms raised. And it’s up to them if they want to sign up for it or not. They will have the option to allow their location to be tracked using GPS during journeys, which would enable help to be sent to the exact location quickly, in the event of an emergency, and would only be visible to the Peoplesafe control room.

This builds on an Employee Assistance programme to help look after their physical and mental wellbeing, including 24/7 access to a virtual GP for colleagues and their families.

Rachel Bennett, Shrink and Security Director at Tesco, says: “The safety of our colleagues and their wellbeing is our top priority. Whether they are working in the office, stores or distribution centres, we know colleagues can feel vulnerable in situations where they are travelling alone or during unsociable hours.”

“And in their social lives, we know colleagues sometimes worry if they are witnessing aggression on public transport, walking on their own or find themselves taking a taxi home as the only passenger."

“We believe colleagues will really value the peace of mind offered by knowing that their journey is being monitored and help is quickly available if they encounter any issues. They deserve to always feel and be safe, at work or in their personal lives.”

Peoplesafe CEO Naz Dossa says: “We want to commend Tesco for going above and beyond to protect their workforce. By prioritising the safety of colleagues both in-store and during their commutes, they’re showing a real commitment to their people and setting a powerful example of putting employee safety first."

“From working with them, it’s clear they genuinely understand the importance of protecting their workforce and are going above and beyond to ensure their teams feel safe and supported every day. We’re delighted that Tesco is using Peoplesafe’s innovative personal safety technology to provide this crucial layer of protection for their teams.”

Daniel Adams, National Officer for the trade union USDAW, says: "We continue to engage with Tesco on the steps and measures that it can take to protect workers across the business and welcome this new commitment to invest in additional technology that will undoubtedly help to provide reassurance to employees."

"All workers deserve to be safe both at work and outside of it. USDAW's ‘Safe Journeys to Work’ campaign has long highlighted the problems workers can face with travelling to and from their place of employment, particularly in the evening, late at night and early in the morning. It is positive that businesses such as Tesco continue to listen to these concerns and are making tangible investments to improve worker safety."

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Employee experiences will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.