A Study on Stress Management of Online Food Delivery Executives at Swiggy

Abstract

            The rapid expansion of app-based food delivery platforms has transformed urban employment patterns, particularly within the gig economy. While these platforms generate significant livelihood opportunities, they also expose delivery executives to various occupational stressors. The present study examines stress management among online food delivery executives working at Swiggy across three metropolitan cities—Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. The research aims to analyses job stress factors, assess their physical, behavioral, and emotional consequences, evaluate coping mechanisms, and examine the relationship between stress levels and job performance outcomes.

            The study adopts a descriptive research design using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from 600 Swiggy delivery executives (200 from each city) through a structured questionnaire. Statistical tools such as descriptive analysis was employed to measure the intensity of job stress factors and stress outcomes.

            The findings reveal that delivery executives experience high levels of stress primarily due to workload pressure, strict time deadlines, customer-related issues, heavy traffic, financial burden from fuel costs, and lack of supervisory support. Physical responses such as headaches, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, dehydration, and sleep disturbances were widely reported. Behavioral responses included difficulty in concentration, neglect of responsibilities, disturbed eating and sleeping patterns, and social withdrawal. Emotional responses such as sadness, irritability, anxiety, and reduced resilience were also prevalent, with a concerning proportion reporting severe psychological distress. Despite these stressors, variations in stress intensity were observed across individuals and cities.

            The study highlights the urgent need for structured stress management programs, improved working conditions, supportive supervision, mental health interventions, and policy-level reforms to safeguard the well-being of gig economy workers. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on occupational stress in platform-based employment and offer practical implications for enhancing employee sustainability and organizational effectiveness.

Keywords: Occupational stress, Gig economy, Food delivery executives, Stress management, Emotional well-being, Swiggy, Urban employment.

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