Providing a solution that caters to both accountability and control will also go a long way in helping the Kenyan employer in implementing the 2014 amendment to the Finance Act, which allows employers to give their employees Ksh 48,000 of meals per year tax-free. According to the Act, the employer must be able to demonstrate the meals provided, cost and location of consumption, which renders the mobile app instrumental.
A recent survey by Sodexo reveals that 87% of Kenyans will skip lunch at least once a month, either due to demanding schedules or by generally keeping up with the workplace influence where meal breaks are seen as a waste of time. However, as the CEO notes, exerting one’s brain on a non-stop eight-hour schedule can end up being more detrimental than beneficial to one’s productivity.
With more than 80% mobile penetration in Kenya, continued reliance on mobile devices and emerging technologies calls for entrepreneurs to create innovative solutions for consumers. “The new partnership between Sodexo and Jumia Food helps tackle the problems that employers face in providing meals, and allows meals to be delivered to the employees’ desks,” said Neil Ribeiro, CEO of Sodexo Kenya.
Now available on both iOS and Android platforms, employers can now implement the staff meal process through the platform by handing out vouchers that the staff can redeem through M-Kula. This will allow consumers access to over 200 restaurants listed on Jumia Food website. “All they have to do is go to the Jumia Food website or mobile app and order their meals, without moving an inch from their work desks,” explained Duncan Muchangi, MD of Jumia Food.
Sodexo’s services such as the meal voucher (M-Kula) and gift pass provide employers with an avenue to implement incentive and recognition programmes easily, whilst creating a more satisfying work-life balance, as well as greater personal development and professional recognition.
