M&S expands employee safety support with personal safety app partnership 

Marks & Spencer has introduced enhanced personal safety support for colleagues through a partnership with WalkSafe Pro, reflecting a growing employer focus on safety and wellbeing beyond the workplace itself. 

The retailer has rolled out access to the personal safety app across its workforce, giving colleagues tools including journey sharing, SOS alerts and real-time safety information designed to help them feel safer while travelling to and from work. 

The initiative highlights an emerging area of workplace wellbeing that extends beyond traditional health and benefits programmes, with employers increasingly considering how they can support employees during their commute and in public spaces. 

Delivered in partnership with facilities management and security provider Mitie, the service includes access to 24/7 monitoring and incident response capabilities through Mitie’s control centre. The app can also be used outside working hours, providing support beyond the working day. 

M&S said the move follows feedback from colleagues who identified travelling to and from work as a time when they feel particularly vulnerable. 

Thinus Keeve, retail director at M&S, said: “Our colleagues’ need for safety doesn’t stop when a shift ends – and our colleagues have told us that travelling to and from work can be when they feel most vulnerable.” 

He added: “It’s another way we’re continuing to invest in security – helping our people stay connected and supported wherever they are.” 

In a further development, M&S plans to designate its stores as “safe spaces” within the WalkSafe app, allowing members of the public to identify nearby stores where they can seek reassurance or support if they feel unsafe during a journey. Colleagues will receive training to support the initiative. 

The announcement reflects a broader shift in how organisations are approaching employee wellbeing and duty of care. While workplace health strategies have traditionally focused on areas such as mental health, physical wellbeing and financial support, employers are increasingly recognising the impact that personal safety concerns can have on employee confidence, stress levels and overall wellbeing. 

The issue can be particularly relevant for shift workers, retail employees and those travelling outside standard working hours, where concerns around personal safety may influence both employee experience and retention. 

Jason Towse, managing director of business services at Mitie, said the partnership demonstrates how organisations can play a greater role in supporting employees during moments when they feel most vulnerable. 

“Everyone deserves to feel safe, whether they’re at work, travelling home or out in their own time,” he said. 

Emma Kay, founder of WalkSafe, added that the partnership would help organisations take a more active role in supporting both employees and local communities. 

“Through partnerships like this one with M&S, we’re extending that support further, helping organisations play a more active role in giving colleagues and local communities greater confidence, reassurance and access to help when they need it.” 

As employers continue to broaden their definition of wellbeing, personal safety is emerging as an increasingly important consideration. For workplace health and wellbeing leaders, the M&S initiative raises a wider question: should employee wellbeing strategies begin at the office door, or should they also encompass the journeys employees take to get there?