Southeastern-Sonder Partnership: UK Rail Staff Wellbeing & Service Reliability

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Introduction

Southeastern has partnered with employee care platform Sonder to strengthen workforce resilience and reduce absenteeism across London, Kent, and East Sussex.

Improving Frontline Staff Wellbeing

Southeastern, a major UK rail operator, has partnered with Sonder to improve staff wellbeing, reduce absenteeism, and minimize passenger disruption. Southeastern operates over 2,000 train services daily, serving more than 500,000 passengers. With a workforce of 4,500 across 165 stations and the UK’s first domestic high-speed service, staff availability is critical for service reliability. The absence of safety-critical employees, such as drivers, can lead to significant disruptions, with up to five trains canceled and over 5,000 passengers affected. Southeastern has implemented Sonder’s integrated care platform to provide its staff with 24/7 access to health, mental health, and safety support. According to Alex South, Head of HR Shared Services at Southeastern, the platform provides teams with fast, trusted access to care, and the feedback has been positive.

Early Results Show Strong Engagement

Within two months of the rollout, 20% of Southeastern’s workforce had engaged with Sonder, exceeding the typical 2–5% uptake seen in traditional Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). Half of those contacting Sonder accessed counseling services, while one in three reached a GP through the platform. Rosie Corriette, Occupational Health and Contracts Manager at Southeastern, stated that Sonder integrates preventative, data-led care, which reduces response time and strengthens workforce resilience. Sonder prioritizes early intervention and offers employees near-instant connections with qualified clinicians. The platform’s mobile-first accessibility supports a diverse, shift-based workforce across multiple locations.

Reducing Disruption and Driving Efficiencies

The partnership has shown measurable benefits. For instance, an employee with a minor injury consulted a nurse through the Sonder app and returned to work after one day, avoiding a longer absence. This intervention saved an estimated £5,600 in productivity and occupational health costs. Craig Cowdrey, Sonder’s Co-Founder & CEO, emphasized the importance of fast, trusted access to care for employees in essential industries like rail. Supported by union representatives, the platform is also used for workforce planning and absence management through data-driven insights. Southeastern is positioning employee wellbeing as an operational strategy to keep services running smoothly.

Conclusion

Southeastern and Sonder have partnered to improve staff wellbeing and reduce absenteeism, providing 24/7 access to health, mental health, and safety support. Early results show strong workforce engagement, with measurable benefits in reducing disruption and driving efficiencies.

Company Summary

Southeastern: One of the UK’s busiest rail operators, serving London, Kent, and East Sussex, operating over 2,000 train services a day for more than 500,000 daily passengers.

Sonder: An employee healthcare platform.

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