Sonder Knowledge Hub
Explore answers to your questions and the most common topics to help you make the most of your Sonder partnership.
How can we help?
Sonder uses a ‘stepped-care model’ in its approach to the delivery of support services. This model comprises a hierarchy of interventions from the least to most intensive, matched to the individual’s needs.
It starts with a chat or call within the Sonder app to one of our highly trained Care Specialists. They are available day or night, will respond in 15 seconds or less to provide you with support and connect you with the right care immediately, and is 100% confidential.
Our Care Specialists will determine whether you need non-clinical support or a clinical assessment. For non-clinical support, the focus will be on your wellbeing and you will be provided with self-help resources and advice.
For a clinical assessment, our Triage Nurse will step in and assign a clinical priority to your case from low risk to urgent depending on the severity. This assignment is based on the Manchester triage system and is an evidence-based approach that seeks to identify the unique needs of everyone and provides tailored solutions to ensure the care they need.
Sonder’s approach to care isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ model. Rather, it is appropriate support that an individual requires and recognises their needs.
The ‘Stepped Care Model’ is a staged system, from the least to the most intensive, matched to the individual’s needs. Sonder’s ‘Stepped Care’ model recognises there is a spectrum of needs and as such there also needs to be a spectrum of services.
Sonder’s Model of Care is a transparent overview of its entire offering, and the procedures and processes used to provide organisations and their people with safety, medical, and mental health support.
‘Triage’ means when a Sonder Care Specialist seeks to understand the circumstances, assess what support is required for the presenting concerns, and determine the most appropriate level of support.
A triage is performed when you or your people reach out to a Care Specialist through the app (either through call or chat) and requests for support. If a person needs to go down a medical or mental health route, a registered nurse will perform a more detailed clinical assessment.
Our phone number is toll free and changes depending on your location; the Australian phone number is 1800 234 560. If your people need support, we encourage them to contact us via the app. Try and think of Sonder as a proactive and holistic 24/7 experience that offers much more than what a traditional telephone helpline or an EAP offers.
From 24/7 access to in-human support and physical safety features to a sizable wellbeing library of content and relevant notifications, Sonder offers you and your people a full suite of support options that’s powered by a team of trained clinicians and experts who care and put you and your people’s wellbeing first.
Sonder uses a ‘stepped-care model’ in its approach to the delivery of support services. This model comprises a hierarchy of interventions from the least to most intensive, matched to the individual’s needs.
It starts with a chat or call within the Sonder app to one of our highly trained Care Specialists. They are available day or night, will respond in 15 seconds or less to provide you with support and connect you with the right care immediately, and is 100% confidential.
Our Care Specialists will determine whether you need non-clinical support or a clinical assessment. For non-clinical support, the focus will be on your wellbeing and you will be provided with self-help resources and advice.
For a clinical assessment, our Triage Nurse will step in and assign a clinical priority to your case from low risk to urgent depending on the severity. This assignment is based on the Manchester triage system and is an evidence-based approach that seeks to identify the unique needs of everyone and provides tailored solutions to ensure the care they need.
Sonder’s approach to care isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ model. Rather, it is appropriate support that an individual requires and recognises their needs.
The ‘Stepped Care Model’ is a staged system, from the least to the most intensive, matched to the individual’s needs. Sonder’s ‘Stepped Care’ model recognises there is a spectrum of needs and as such there also needs to be a spectrum of services.
Sonder’s Model of Care is a transparent overview of its entire offering, and the procedures and processes used to provide organisations and their people with safety, medical, and mental health support.
‘Triage’ means when a Sonder Care Specialist seeks to understand the circumstances, assess what support is required for the presenting concerns, and determine the most appropriate level of support.
A triage is performed when you or your people reach out to a Care Specialist through the app (either through call or chat) and requests for support. If a person needs to go down a medical or mental health route, a registered nurse will perform a more detailed clinical assessment.
Our phone number is toll free and changes depending on your location; the Australian phone number is 1800 234 560. If your people need support, we encourage them to contact us via the app. Try and think of Sonder as a proactive and holistic 24/7 experience that offers much more than what a traditional telephone helpline or an EAP offers.
From 24/7 access to in-human support and physical safety features to a sizable wellbeing library of content and relevant notifications, Sonder offers you and your people a full suite of support options that’s powered by a team of trained clinicians and experts who care and put you and your people’s wellbeing first.
‘Check on Me’ is a safety scanning feature within the app that you and your people can use to have a Sonder team member discreetly check-up on you whenever you’re in an uncertain situation or at a time that suits. To use ‘Check on Me’:
1. Tap the ‘Safety’ tab at the bottom of the home screen.
2. Tap 'Check on me'
2. Select the length of time you think you'll need, or the time at which you want a Sonder team member to check on you.
3. Add in any additional details about the person you're meeting or where you’re going - this is optional.
4. When the time is up, we will check in and ask you to confirm you're okay. If you need more time, you can use the "snooze" button to extend the session.
‘Track my Journey’ is a real-time safety scanning feature that allows you and your people to share your location to the Sonder team so they can keep an eye on you when you’re travelling from A to B. The real-time scanning is performed by real people and is completely confidential. To use ‘Track my Journey’:
- Make sure location services are turned on for the app - This ensures accurate monitoring.
- Tap the ‘Safety’ tab at the bottom of the home screen.
- Tap ‘Track my Journey’
- Enter your destination and select your mode of travel (walking, cycling or driving).
- Continue your trip; the Sonder team will be monitoring you.
- If you go behind schedule or off track, the Sonder team will contact you through the app, by phone or by SMS.
- Once you reach your destination, the Sonder team will send you a message asking you to confirm you're okay.
If you go off-track, face an unexpected delay, forget or are unable to check in, the Sonder team will do everything they can to ensure your safety. This may include sending assistance to your location if there is cause for concern.
1) The first is through our activation emails, which we send directly to your people, introducing our services and encouraging them to download and engage with the app. Over time, we’ve refined these messages to be as relevant as possible to the audience and it remains the biggest activation driving channel to this day. You can control the timing of when these emails are sent to your people to make sure the timing suits you best.
2) Alongside the direct emails from Sonder, your people will become aware of and engage with Sonder through the wide range of material you have available in your Sonder communications toolkit.The online toolkit contains assets relevant to all phases of your Sonder partnership. From launch marketing material, through to ongoing engagement, product education pieces and timely monthly themed materials. And everything can be easily co-branded should you wish to do so.
‘Safety Alerts’ are real-time push notifications sent from the app about potential local dangers and interruptions that occur in the same location as you and your people. Note that these are different from Sonder’s content push notifications; ‘Safety Alerts’ are sent out by Sonder’s Ops Intel team, who are a 24/7 operation that constantly scans Sonder’s service regions for news, threats, and dangers that may disrupt the safety and wellbeing of your people.
For more information about a ‘Safety Alert’ that was sent, simply follow the link contained within the alert or chat directly to a Sonder team member through the app. Please note that you will need to enable location services in order for ‘Safety Alerts’ to work properly.
The Wellbeing Assessment is a three-minute questionnaire focusing on your mental, social and physical wellbeing. This self-guided assessment is clinically backed by health experts and clinicians and is designed to be a starting point when using Sonder so you’ll get a better understanding of what you’re doing well and what aspects of your wellbeing may need a bit of improvement, as well as personalised wellbeing content recommendations.
The results of the Wellbeing Assessment are completely confidential and does not aim to provide a clinical diagnosis. However, you and your people are encouraged to speak to the Sonder team about their result if they wish or want to get more specific support.
Yes, if a member hasn’t taken the assessment before and has been a member for more than 30 days they will receive a push notification encouraging them to check in on their wellbeing.
Yes, the Wellbeing Assessment provides a better understanding of your physical, social, and mental states, and aims to boost your overall wellbeing if needed. Using the results of the assessment, you and your people may receive personalised recommended reading, courses, or individual support from the Sonder team.
The DASS-21 is a self-administered, clinically-recognised questionnaire designed to measure the magnitude of someone experiencing symptoms of low mood (depression), anxiety, and stress. The goal of the DASS-21 is to not only destigmatise the use of tools for help-seeking behaviour, but to also encourage you and your people to assess where you are mentally and to seek the appropriate support if needed.
There are 21 questions that relate to depression, anxiety, and stress - hence the name ‘DASS-21’. Once all the questions are answered, you will receive a summary and score for each of the aforementioned three mental wellbeing areas, as well as recommended self-help content from Sonder’s Wellbeing Library.
Please note that the results of the DASS-21 are indicative of how you currently feel rather than a clinical diagnosis, and need to be interpreted by a qualified health professional as part of a more comprehensive assessment. If you and your people want to get more specific support, you’re encouraged to speak to the Sonder team about your DASS-21 result at any time.
The Wellbeing Library is a collection of informative written, audio and video content spanning across a wide range of mental, physical, and social wellbeing topics, as well as up-to-date information on safety and public health matters.
Tap on the ‘View all topics’ prompt on the home screen of the app to gain access to Sonder’s full collection of resources, or explore for specific items within the library using the search bar.
If you and your people need to contact Sonder’s Help Desk, contact them directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
‘Check on Me’ is a safety scanning feature within the app that you and your people can use to have a Sonder team member discreetly check-up on you whenever you’re in an uncertain situation or at a time that suits. To use ‘Check on Me’:
1. Tap the ‘Safety’ tab at the bottom of the home screen.
2. Tap 'Check on me'
2. Select the length of time you think you'll need, or the time at which you want a Sonder team member to check on you.
3. Add in any additional details about the person you're meeting or where you’re going - this is optional.
4. When the time is up, we will check in and ask you to confirm you're okay. If you need more time, you can use the "snooze" button to extend the session.
‘Track my Journey’ is a real-time safety scanning feature that allows you and your people to share your location to the Sonder team so they can keep an eye on you when you’re travelling from A to B. The real-time scanning is performed by real people and is completely confidential. To use ‘Track my Journey’:
- Make sure location services are turned on for the app - This ensures accurate monitoring.
- Tap the ‘Safety’ tab at the bottom of the home screen.
- Tap ‘Track my Journey’
- Enter your destination and select your mode of travel (walking, cycling or driving).
- Continue your trip; the Sonder team will be monitoring you.
- If you go behind schedule or off track, the Sonder team will contact you through the app, by phone or by SMS.
- Once you reach your destination, the Sonder team will send you a message asking you to confirm you're okay.
If you go off-track, face an unexpected delay, forget or are unable to check in, the Sonder team will do everything they can to ensure your safety. This may include sending assistance to your location if there is cause for concern.
1) The first is through our activation emails, which we send directly to your people, introducing our services and encouraging them to download and engage with the app. Over time, we’ve refined these messages to be as relevant as possible to the audience and it remains the biggest activation driving channel to this day. You can control the timing of when these emails are sent to your people to make sure the timing suits you best.
2) Alongside the direct emails from Sonder, your people will become aware of and engage with Sonder through the wide range of material you have available in your Sonder communications toolkit.The online toolkit contains assets relevant to all phases of your Sonder partnership. From launch marketing material, through to ongoing engagement, product education pieces and timely monthly themed materials. And everything can be easily co-branded should you wish to do so.
‘Safety Alerts’ are real-time push notifications sent from the app about potential local dangers and interruptions that occur in the same location as you and your people. Note that these are different from Sonder’s content push notifications; ‘Safety Alerts’ are sent out by Sonder’s Ops Intel team, who are a 24/7 operation that constantly scans Sonder’s service regions for news, threats, and dangers that may disrupt the safety and wellbeing of your people.
For more information about a ‘Safety Alert’ that was sent, simply follow the link contained within the alert or chat directly to a Sonder team member through the app. Please note that you will need to enable location services in order for ‘Safety Alerts’ to work properly.
The Wellbeing Assessment is a three-minute questionnaire focusing on your mental, social and physical wellbeing. This self-guided assessment is clinically backed by health experts and clinicians and is designed to be a starting point when using Sonder so you’ll get a better understanding of what you’re doing well and what aspects of your wellbeing may need a bit of improvement, as well as personalised wellbeing content recommendations.
The results of the Wellbeing Assessment are completely confidential and does not aim to provide a clinical diagnosis. However, you and your people are encouraged to speak to the Sonder team about their result if they wish or want to get more specific support.
Yes, if a member hasn’t taken the assessment before and has been a member for more than 30 days they will receive a push notification encouraging them to check in on their wellbeing.
Yes, the Wellbeing Assessment provides a better understanding of your physical, social, and mental states, and aims to boost your overall wellbeing if needed. Using the results of the assessment, you and your people may receive personalised recommended reading, courses, or individual support from the Sonder team.
The DASS-21 is a self-administered, clinically-recognised questionnaire designed to measure the magnitude of someone experiencing symptoms of low mood (depression), anxiety, and stress. The goal of the DASS-21 is to not only destigmatise the use of tools for help-seeking behaviour, but to also encourage you and your people to assess where you are mentally and to seek the appropriate support if needed.
There are 21 questions that relate to depression, anxiety, and stress - hence the name ‘DASS-21’. Once all the questions are answered, you will receive a summary and score for each of the aforementioned three mental wellbeing areas, as well as recommended self-help content from Sonder’s Wellbeing Library.
Please note that the results of the DASS-21 are indicative of how you currently feel rather than a clinical diagnosis, and need to be interpreted by a qualified health professional as part of a more comprehensive assessment. If you and your people want to get more specific support, you’re encouraged to speak to the Sonder team about your DASS-21 result at any time.
The Wellbeing Library is a collection of informative written, audio and video content spanning across a wide range of mental, physical, and social wellbeing topics, as well as up-to-date information on safety and public health matters.
Tap on the ‘View all topics’ prompt on the home screen of the app to gain access to Sonder’s full collection of resources, or explore for specific items within the library using the search bar.
If you and your people need to contact Sonder’s Help Desk, contact them directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
The first person you and your people will make contact with - either through the call or chat function in the Sonder app - will be a Sonder Care Specialist.
Part intake officer, part health coach, and part community service navigator, Care Specialists are there to support you and your people at any given moment. Importantly, they are there to guide people through a non-clinical triage in order to understand and unpack their reason for reaching out to Sonder.
Care Specialists are qualified in Psychological First Aid and are trained to operate within Sonder’s Wellbeing Model. They’re exceptionally capable at understanding the safety, medical, and mental health needs of you and your people, and will provide guidance and recommendations for the next step of your wellbeing journey. This could be immediate tirage for safety and medical, mental health support, or resources to continue your wellbeing journey on your own terms.
Sonder hires Care Specialists from a variety of backgrounds ranging from healthcare post-grads and 000 operators to health coaches and those with a strong foundation and experience in crisis management and/or personal support services.
If you and your people need to contact Sonder’s Help Desk, contact them directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
Sonder utilises a number of translation and interpreter services to remove any language accessibility barrier that may come up.
For in-human support and service from Care Specialists, over 300 languages (including Australian Sign Language) translation and interpreter services are available with all Sonder phone, video, in-person conversations, and psychologist therapy sessions.
For everyday app usage, you and your people can interact with the app in the language your smartphone is set to and use the Sonder chat in your preferred language.
Currently, the entire Sonder app experience (such as the text and tiles) is available in 4 languages - Mandarin, Bengali, Cantonese and Thai.
Sonder uses the Google Translation API for chats that require language translations, so the experience should be seamless.
For phone calls and articles, Sonder primarily uses two interpreting and translation services - Hello.co and LanguageLine.
If you and your people have ‘Family Access’ (which is determined by whether your company/organisation opted in for it or not), it means you’re able to share access to Sonder with family members and the option to share it will be available within the app. If the option isn’t available, chat to your People and Culture team (or relevant team member).
As for who can use ‘Family Access’, family members typically means a child, parent, spouse, sibling, including adoptive relationships. However, Sonder also understands that family can mean different things to different people.
To share ‘Family Access’ with family members:
- Tap the 'More' tab on the home screen on the Sonder app.
- Scroll down to find the 'Share Sonder' option - there's a small icon of a person with a plus symbol.
- When prompted, choose who you want to send a link to and how to do it. You can select SMS, Messenger, Whatsapp, email and other social media options.
- The family member will receive instructions on how to download the Sonder app including a code for them to enter after they download the app and register.
Please note: As per the Sonder privacy policy, if your family member is under the age of 18, they must have consent from their parent/guardian to use the Sonder app.
If there’s no ‘Family Access’, the general advice provided by Sonder is very limited in scope as it’s only available to eligible members within a clinical framework.
In the event that a family member is under the age of 15, Sonder’s clinicians will provide advice to parents/guardians regarding recommended treatment regardless if there’s ‘Family Access’. If a family member is over the age of 15, then ‘Family Access’ is required.
While access to Sonder’s service is 24/7 and largely unlimited, the number of sessions are at the discretion of the treating psychologist or counsellor, or the decision is based on Sonder’s QA review in collaboration with the treating psychologist.
Some people may require fewer sessions, others may require multiple sessions, and some may require a range of support in line with Sonder’s stepped care model.
Whenever the number of sessions comes into question, Sonder’s Psychology Team Member or Head of Psychology will review the treatment plan and work with the treating psychologist to ensure that realistic and measurable goals are in place, that progress towards said goals is evidence, and that a specific plan for the number of expected sessions is in place.
If someone is no longer eligible for Sonder’s service due to their employment coming to a close, they will have a grace period and access to Sonder’s services for an additional 30 days. During this 30-day post-eligibility period, Sonder’s service will be focused on connecting the departing person to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
If someone is in active treatment with Sonder’s Psych Team or one of its third party providers, Sonder will inform them about the situation and focus on connecting them to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
No, Sonder does not give out medical prescriptions. It’s best to think of Sonder’s medical support as immediate, available at any time, and the initial step towards understanding the nature of what is required, all of which is in line with our stepped care model.
When there’s an instance where a GP or a hospital visit is required - or in this case a medical prescription - Sonder will provide support by ensuring you have a doctor you can access.
If Psych Services are included for you and your people, then yes, couples therapy is available to partners in a relationship. Both partners will be required to download the Sonder app and provide consent before therapy can commence.
As for how couples therapy works at Sonder, it is a case-by-case basis and is determined by what the most appropriate care is for the individuals. Generally speaking, Sonder’s clinicians will work 1:1 with the person seeking support and sometimes, as part of the individual care plan, the clinician may suggest a session that includes the person’s partner. However, this is completely at the clinician’s discretion and in relation to the care plan they have in place for the person seeking support.
Sonder offers you and your people a wealth of self-guided resources and articles in our Wellbeing Library. This includes topics ranging from ‘How to create a budget’ to ‘Dealing with inflation and cost of living pressure’. Outside of Wellbeing Library resources, the Sonder team may refer you to available financial support services, such as relevant hotlines, government grant information or other financial self-help tools.
The Sonder team can also provide mental health support for any stress stemming from financial concerns. This can be accessed through chat or call in the ‘Support’ function within the Sonder app.
If you and your people have financial assistance partnerships in place with your company, Sonder can help provide an easy route to those support pathways that’s within our protocols.
For those in Australia, Sonder has partnered up with Moneycare to include an additional pathway into further financial wellbeing support. This pathway provides free financial coaching, financial counselling, no-interest loans, and additional financial resources.
The Sonder app, its library of wellbeing content, and its in-human support team are all available to you and your people at any time. If you and your people need support from a Sonder Care Specialist, just tap on the ‘Get support’ tab on the home screen of the app, start a chat or call, and someone will be with you in seconds.
The first person you and your people will make contact with - either through the call or chat function in the Sonder app - will be a Sonder Care Specialist.
Part intake officer, part health coach, and part community service navigator, Care Specialists are there to support you and your people at any given moment. Importantly, they are there to guide people through a non-clinical triage in order to understand and unpack their reason for reaching out to Sonder.
Care Specialists are qualified in Psychological First Aid and are trained to operate within Sonder’s Wellbeing Model. They’re exceptionally capable at understanding the safety, medical, and mental health needs of you and your people, and will provide guidance and recommendations for the next step of your wellbeing journey. This could be immediate tirage for safety and medical, mental health support, or resources to continue your wellbeing journey on your own terms.
Sonder hires Care Specialists from a variety of backgrounds ranging from healthcare post-grads and 000 operators to health coaches and those with a strong foundation and experience in crisis management and/or personal support services.
If you and your people need to contact Sonder’s Help Desk, contact them directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
Sonder utilises a number of translation and interpreter services to remove any language accessibility barrier that may come up.
For in-human support and service from Care Specialists, over 300 languages (including Australian Sign Language) translation and interpreter services are available with all Sonder phone, video, in-person conversations, and psychologist therapy sessions.
For everyday app usage, you and your people can interact with the app in the language your smartphone is set to and use the Sonder chat in your preferred language.
Currently, the entire Sonder app experience (such as the text and tiles) is available in 4 languages - Mandarin, Bengali, Cantonese and Thai.
Sonder uses the Google Translation API for chats that require language translations, so the experience should be seamless.
For phone calls and articles, Sonder primarily uses two interpreting and translation services - Hello.co and LanguageLine.
If you and your people have ‘Family Access’ (which is determined by whether your company/organisation opted in for it or not), it means you’re able to share access to Sonder with family members and the option to share it will be available within the app. If the option isn’t available, chat to your People and Culture team (or relevant team member).
As for who can use ‘Family Access’, family members typically means a child, parent, spouse, sibling, including adoptive relationships. However, Sonder also understands that family can mean different things to different people.
To share ‘Family Access’ with family members:
- Tap the 'More' tab on the home screen on the Sonder app.
- Scroll down to find the 'Share Sonder' option - there's a small icon of a person with a plus symbol.
- When prompted, choose who you want to send a link to and how to do it. You can select SMS, Messenger, Whatsapp, email and other social media options.
- The family member will receive instructions on how to download the Sonder app including a code for them to enter after they download the app and register.
Please note: As per the Sonder privacy policy, if your family member is under the age of 18, they must have consent from their parent/guardian to use the Sonder app.
If there’s no ‘Family Access’, the general advice provided by Sonder is very limited in scope as it’s only available to eligible members within a clinical framework.
In the event that a family member is under the age of 15, Sonder’s clinicians will provide advice to parents/guardians regarding recommended treatment regardless if there’s ‘Family Access’. If a family member is over the age of 15, then ‘Family Access’ is required.
While access to Sonder’s service is 24/7 and largely unlimited, the number of sessions are at the discretion of the treating psychologist or counsellor, or the decision is based on Sonder’s QA review in collaboration with the treating psychologist.
Some people may require fewer sessions, others may require multiple sessions, and some may require a range of support in line with Sonder’s stepped care model.
Whenever the number of sessions comes into question, Sonder’s Psychology Team Member or Head of Psychology will review the treatment plan and work with the treating psychologist to ensure that realistic and measurable goals are in place, that progress towards said goals is evidence, and that a specific plan for the number of expected sessions is in place.
If someone is no longer eligible for Sonder’s service due to their employment coming to a close, they will have a grace period and access to Sonder’s services for an additional 30 days. During this 30-day post-eligibility period, Sonder’s service will be focused on connecting the departing person to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
If someone is in active treatment with Sonder’s Psych Team or one of its third party providers, Sonder will inform them about the situation and focus on connecting them to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
No, Sonder does not give out medical prescriptions. It’s best to think of Sonder’s medical support as immediate, available at any time, and the initial step towards understanding the nature of what is required, all of which is in line with our stepped care model.
When there’s an instance where a GP or a hospital visit is required - or in this case a medical prescription - Sonder will provide support by ensuring you have a doctor you can access.
If Psych Services are included for you and your people, then yes, couples therapy is available to partners in a relationship. Both partners will be required to download the Sonder app and provide consent before therapy can commence.
As for how couples therapy works at Sonder, it is a case-by-case basis and is determined by what the most appropriate care is for the individuals. Generally speaking, Sonder’s clinicians will work 1:1 with the person seeking support and sometimes, as part of the individual care plan, the clinician may suggest a session that includes the person’s partner. However, this is completely at the clinician’s discretion and in relation to the care plan they have in place for the person seeking support.
Sonder offers you and your people a wealth of self-guided resources and articles in our Wellbeing Library. This includes topics ranging from ‘How to create a budget’ to ‘Dealing with inflation and cost of living pressure’. Outside of Wellbeing Library resources, the Sonder team may refer you to available financial support services, such as relevant hotlines, government grant information or other financial self-help tools.
The Sonder team can also provide mental health support for any stress stemming from financial concerns. This can be accessed through chat or call in the ‘Support’ function within the Sonder app.
If you and your people have financial assistance partnerships in place with your company, Sonder can help provide an easy route to those support pathways that’s within our protocols.
For those in Australia, Sonder has partnered up with Moneycare to include an additional pathway into further financial wellbeing support. This pathway provides free financial coaching, financial counselling, no-interest loans, and additional financial resources.
The Sonder app, its library of wellbeing content, and its in-human support team are all available to you and your people at any time. If you and your people need support from a Sonder Care Specialist, just tap on the ‘Get support’ tab on the home screen of the app, start a chat or call, and someone will be with you in seconds.
Welfare checks at Sonder are designed to prompt someone to access required support. These work a bit differently to traditional Welfare checks, which are carried out by police with the objective of locating a person and ensuring they are alive and safe.
These welfare checks are conducted by Sonder upon request where there is reasonable concern for one of your people and are to ensure that they’re safe, healthy, and are aware of the support that can be provided through Sonder if needed.
Welfare checks can only be made by an approved manager or teacher and are initiated through the ‘in-app chat’. It is very important that Sonder understands the reason and background to the welfare check request as this will allow the Sonder team to choose the best response.
Sonder always encourages you to reach out to your people directly first and encourage them to access the app and its support services on their own terms as that is what we believe to be the most effective way for people to access care.
Welfare checks are to be used in situations where there is genuine concern for a person’s medical or mental health, their safety, or if their reporting manager believes they will benefit from Sonder’s support services.
Welfare checks are not to be used when there isn’t legitimate concern for a person’s wellbeing or safety or the motivation behind the request is unrelated to the person’s wellbeing. For example, “John is regularly an hour late for work every day, can you check up on him to make sure he’s at work on time today?”
When a welfare check has been undertaken, Sonder cannot disclose any further information regarding the check or the support to the reporting manager due to medical privacy principles. We will inform the manager/teacher that the person is either safe or unsafe. Any further details are held in confidence unless explicit consent by the person is given.
It is important for managers/teachers to understand that their welfare check requests won’t be made private. When a welfare check is requested, Sonder will always provide the person being checked up on the details of the reporting manager to ensure that it is legitimate, so the reporting manager must be aware of this disclosure of information and be comfortable with it.
If you want to request a welfare check, please do it through the Sonder app via the ‘in-app chat’ for the most efficient response. A welfare check will then be conducted once the following criteria is met:
- The notifier must be a manager/teacher/caseworker of the person of concern and not a direct relative.
- The requesting manager/teacher is comfortable being identified to the person of concern by name.
When a manager requests for a welfare check through the ‘in-app chat’, the following steps happen:
- Sonder will engage with the person.
- If the person doesn’t have Sonder downloaded, the team will proceed to texting or calling where appropriate.
- Sonder will apply appropriate care as per our stepped care model.
- Sonder will close the loop with the reporting manager and confirm the actions the team has taken.
- “We have reached out to Dean and he is aware he can access support if required”
- “We were unable to get through to Dean today unfortunately but we have left a message explaining how he can get in touch with us.”
The Sonder team will continue to try and contact the person until we can confirm their safety. In the event that this is unsuccessful, we will deploy a Sonder Responder or contact emergency services, depending on the severity of the case.
Generally speaking, Sonder won’t contact an emergency contact, unless it was within the management plan of a high-risk person.
Supporting men’s physical and mental health is an important issue to Sonder and the wellbeing library contains several research-backed articles aimed at providing support if you and your people need it. Just search ‘men’s health’ in the app, or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on men’s health.
FDV is an issue Sonder takes very seriously and we have many dedicated resources aimed at providing support to you and your people if you need it.
Tap ‘View all topics’ on the Sonder app home screen, scroll down to ‘Support for assault’, and then scroll down to ‘Family and domestic violence’ for all the wellbeing resources Sonder has available to support those regarding FDV.
There’s also a dedicated ‘Domestic Violence’ hub within the Wellbeing Library that contains financial support resources, as well as helpful articles focusing on understanding DV relationships, support pathways, and resources that are available. Tap ‘View all topics’ on the Sonder app home screen and you’ll see the ‘Domestic Violence’ hub at the top of the list.
Our Care Specialists are also available through the Sonder app if you and your people need additional in-human support. Tap on the ‘Get support’ tab on the home screen of the app and start a chat or call with a Care Specialist if needed.
Sonder supports everyone who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our Care Specialists complete bespoke training and allyship programs, and there’s plenty of wellbeing content within the app dedicated to supporting those in the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as promoting diversity and inclusivity. Every year, Sonder will typically publish content about Pride Month within the app that dives into what it is, how to participate, and how you and your people can support those in the community.
Search ‘LGBTQIA+’ in the app, or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on LGBTQIA+.
Sonder has a wealth of content focusing on raising awareness of skin cancer and providing helpful information about sun protection, especially for those in Australia and New Zealand. Just search ‘summer safety’ within the app or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on summer and sun safety.
Difficult conversations - whether it's between work colleagues, a manager and their team, family, or close friends - are inevitable in life and Sonder has plenty of content in its Wellbeing Library to help you and your people navigate through them. Tap on the ‘Relationships’ tile on the home screen, search ‘difficult conversations’ or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on how to have difficult conversations across a range of scenarios.
There are several benefits when Sonder is embedded into the employee lifecycle, such as increased engagement, increased productivity, reduced workplace stress and burnout, and increased retention.
As Sonder provides a wide range of support, resources and pathways, it can be embedded into almost any stage of the employee lifecycle post-hiring. Some ideas and stages include:
- New starter orientation - Encourages new hire engagement
- Pay/financial wellbeing discussions
- Annual performance reviews
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- LGBTQIA+
- Discussions about leave (maternal, parental, annual, sick, etc)
- People leader effectiveness
- Critical incident management.
If someone is no longer eligible for Sonder’s service due to their employment coming to a close, they will have a grace period and access to Sonder’s services for an additional 30 days from the date of redundancy/termination. During this 30-day post-eligibility period, Sonder’s service will be focused on connecting the departing person to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
If someone is in active treatment with Sonder’s Psych Team or one of its third party providers, Sonder will inform them about the situation and focus on connecting them to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
Sonder Responders will not involve themselves in these situations involving employment matters. They will only be involved should a traumatic workplace incident arise from the actions related to redundancies/terminations. In this case, Sonder will provide its comprehensive critical incident support to all those who are affected.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
If you’re in external therapy, you will still have 24/7 access to Sonder, its features, and what we call Level 1 support - which is supportive chats with a Care Specialist whenever they need it.
Having said that, Sonder recommends that you don’t swap psychologists if you have one already. We will caution those in current external therapy to consider their treatment goals with their current therapist, do everything they can to achieve it, take a break, and then consider if they need a referral to a Sonder psych.
Should the person need support once their current treatment plan ends, they are very welcome to engage with a Sonder psychologist. They will be triaged and reassessed to determine the appropriate care plan they may need. During the initial assessment, Sonder’s clinicians will generally ask if you’re already engaged with a provided and will in turn inform the suggested support pathways at the end of the triage.
Yes, Sonder can. Domestic and family violence situations are generally complex in nature and will frequently involve concerns ranging across safety, medical and mental health. When Sonder is notified of such circumstances, the person’s safety will always take priority and may involve immediate responses from emergency services, in-person support, or in-app communication.
Sonder will ensure that once the person's safety is confirmed, they are guided through support regarding any medical and mental health concerns. A range of support pathways may also be provided, depending on the person's concerns, to ensure that ongoing care and support are consistent with their requirements. Sonder can, in certain circumstances, provide immediate assistance for accommodation and/or food before ongoing support can be provided by family or relevant charity/government programs.
Welfare checks at Sonder are designed to prompt someone to access required support. These work a bit differently to traditional Welfare checks, which are carried out by police with the objective of locating a person and ensuring they are alive and safe.
These welfare checks are conducted by Sonder upon request where there is reasonable concern for one of your people and are to ensure that they’re safe, healthy, and are aware of the support that can be provided through Sonder if needed.
Welfare checks can only be made by an approved manager or teacher and are initiated through the ‘in-app chat’. It is very important that Sonder understands the reason and background to the welfare check request as this will allow the Sonder team to choose the best response.
Sonder always encourages you to reach out to your people directly first and encourage them to access the app and its support services on their own terms as that is what we believe to be the most effective way for people to access care.
Welfare checks are to be used in situations where there is genuine concern for a person’s medical or mental health, their safety, or if their reporting manager believes they will benefit from Sonder’s support services.
Welfare checks are not to be used when there isn’t legitimate concern for a person’s wellbeing or safety or the motivation behind the request is unrelated to the person’s wellbeing. For example, “John is regularly an hour late for work every day, can you check up on him to make sure he’s at work on time today?”
When a welfare check has been undertaken, Sonder cannot disclose any further information regarding the check or the support to the reporting manager due to medical privacy principles. We will inform the manager/teacher that the person is either safe or unsafe. Any further details are held in confidence unless explicit consent by the person is given.
It is important for managers/teachers to understand that their welfare check requests won’t be made private. When a welfare check is requested, Sonder will always provide the person being checked up on the details of the reporting manager to ensure that it is legitimate, so the reporting manager must be aware of this disclosure of information and be comfortable with it.
If you want to request a welfare check, please do it through the Sonder app via the ‘in-app chat’ for the most efficient response. A welfare check will then be conducted once the following criteria is met:
- The notifier must be a manager/teacher/caseworker of the person of concern and not a direct relative.
- The requesting manager/teacher is comfortable being identified to the person of concern by name.
When a manager requests for a welfare check through the ‘in-app chat’, the following steps happen:
- Sonder will engage with the person.
- If the person doesn’t have Sonder downloaded, the team will proceed to texting or calling where appropriate.
- Sonder will apply appropriate care as per our stepped care model.
- Sonder will close the loop with the reporting manager and confirm the actions the team has taken.
- “We have reached out to Dean and he is aware he can access support if required”
- “We were unable to get through to Dean today unfortunately but we have left a message explaining how he can get in touch with us.”
The Sonder team will continue to try and contact the person until we can confirm their safety. In the event that this is unsuccessful, we will deploy a Sonder Responder or contact emergency services, depending on the severity of the case.
Generally speaking, Sonder won’t contact an emergency contact, unless it was within the management plan of a high-risk person.
Supporting men’s physical and mental health is an important issue to Sonder and the wellbeing library contains several research-backed articles aimed at providing support if you and your people need it. Just search ‘men’s health’ in the app, or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on men’s health.
FDV is an issue Sonder takes very seriously and we have many dedicated resources aimed at providing support to you and your people if you need it.
Tap ‘View all topics’ on the Sonder app home screen, scroll down to ‘Support for assault’, and then scroll down to ‘Family and domestic violence’ for all the wellbeing resources Sonder has available to support those regarding FDV.
There’s also a dedicated ‘Domestic Violence’ hub within the Wellbeing Library that contains financial support resources, as well as helpful articles focusing on understanding DV relationships, support pathways, and resources that are available. Tap ‘View all topics’ on the Sonder app home screen and you’ll see the ‘Domestic Violence’ hub at the top of the list.
Our Care Specialists are also available through the Sonder app if you and your people need additional in-human support. Tap on the ‘Get support’ tab on the home screen of the app and start a chat or call with a Care Specialist if needed.
Sonder supports everyone who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our Care Specialists complete bespoke training and allyship programs, and there’s plenty of wellbeing content within the app dedicated to supporting those in the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as promoting diversity and inclusivity. Every year, Sonder will typically publish content about Pride Month within the app that dives into what it is, how to participate, and how you and your people can support those in the community.
Search ‘LGBTQIA+’ in the app, or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on LGBTQIA+.
Sonder has a wealth of content focusing on raising awareness of skin cancer and providing helpful information about sun protection, especially for those in Australia and New Zealand. Just search ‘summer safety’ within the app or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on summer and sun safety.
Difficult conversations - whether it's between work colleagues, a manager and their team, family, or close friends - are inevitable in life and Sonder has plenty of content in its Wellbeing Library to help you and your people navigate through them. Tap on the ‘Relationships’ tile on the home screen, search ‘difficult conversations’ or start a chat with a Care Specialist and they can direct you to everything Sonder has on how to have difficult conversations across a range of scenarios.
There are several benefits when Sonder is embedded into the employee lifecycle, such as increased engagement, increased productivity, reduced workplace stress and burnout, and increased retention.
As Sonder provides a wide range of support, resources and pathways, it can be embedded into almost any stage of the employee lifecycle post-hiring. Some ideas and stages include:
- New starter orientation - Encourages new hire engagement
- Pay/financial wellbeing discussions
- Annual performance reviews
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- LGBTQIA+
- Discussions about leave (maternal, parental, annual, sick, etc)
- People leader effectiveness
- Critical incident management.
If someone is no longer eligible for Sonder’s service due to their employment coming to a close, they will have a grace period and access to Sonder’s services for an additional 30 days from the date of redundancy/termination. During this 30-day post-eligibility period, Sonder’s service will be focused on connecting the departing person to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
If someone is in active treatment with Sonder’s Psych Team or one of its third party providers, Sonder will inform them about the situation and focus on connecting them to relevant community and publicly-available pathways for ongoing support.
Sonder Responders will not involve themselves in these situations involving employment matters. They will only be involved should a traumatic workplace incident arise from the actions related to redundancies/terminations. In this case, Sonder will provide its comprehensive critical incident support to all those who are affected.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
If you’re in external therapy, you will still have 24/7 access to Sonder, its features, and what we call Level 1 support - which is supportive chats with a Care Specialist whenever they need it.
Having said that, Sonder recommends that you don’t swap psychologists if you have one already. We will caution those in current external therapy to consider their treatment goals with their current therapist, do everything they can to achieve it, take a break, and then consider if they need a referral to a Sonder psych.
Should the person need support once their current treatment plan ends, they are very welcome to engage with a Sonder psychologist. They will be triaged and reassessed to determine the appropriate care plan they may need. During the initial assessment, Sonder’s clinicians will generally ask if you’re already engaged with a provided and will in turn inform the suggested support pathways at the end of the triage.
Yes, Sonder can. Domestic and family violence situations are generally complex in nature and will frequently involve concerns ranging across safety, medical and mental health. When Sonder is notified of such circumstances, the person’s safety will always take priority and may involve immediate responses from emergency services, in-person support, or in-app communication.
Sonder will ensure that once the person's safety is confirmed, they are guided through support regarding any medical and mental health concerns. A range of support pathways may also be provided, depending on the person's concerns, to ensure that ongoing care and support are consistent with their requirements. Sonder can, in certain circumstances, provide immediate assistance for accommodation and/or food before ongoing support can be provided by family or relevant charity/government programs.
Unfortunately there may be a delay in sending through your info. Chat to your P&C team and request that this is done soon so you can access Sonder’s services.
If you see the ‘registration code, university, or company name’ screen after entering your personal email, this usually means:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company email.
Go back to the main login screen and enter your company email, or contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
If you see the ‘registration code, university, or company name’ screen after entering your personal email, this means:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company email.
Go back to the main login screen and enter your company email, or contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
Verify with your HR/People team that your data has been submitted to Sonder. Once submitted, try the following troubleshooting steps if you’re still facing SSO login issues:
- Reinstall the app, clear any caches
- Make sure your default browser is set to Google Chrome and clear any Chrome caches and cookies
- Turn off any proxies or any VPN network that may be activated
- Connect directly with data/cellular internet.
- Use a non-work phone to see if you can login
- Use all lower case when entering your email address.
Verify with your University or organisation if you require registration code to enter the
Sonder app. If registration code is not the method your organisation uses to give you access to Sonder, then:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company/university email. Contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
Check your ‘Spam’ or ‘Junk’ folder in your email inbox to find the password setting email. Check with your IT team to see if there are any email restrictions in place that restrict emails from outside of your organisation and to whitelist “no-reply@sonder.io” as a ‘Safe Sender’.
Sonder is currently only available exclusively through the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Provided your details have already been sent to Sonder and you don’t have access to your cell
phone at your workplace, you can use our online portal to complete your registration. Follow these steps to activate your account at your workplace:
- Go to Sonder Member Portal
- Enter your work email address (in lowercase) which will then trigger the password reset
- email to be sent to your email address.
- Open the password reset email and set your password.
- Your account has now been registered.
- Once you have access to your cell phone login using the credentials you have set.
When setting your password please use the following guidelines to create your password:
- Minimum 8 characters
- A number
- An uppercase letter
- A lowercase letter
Unfortunately there may be a delay in sending through your info. Chat to your P&C team and request that this is done soon so you can access Sonder’s services.
If you see the ‘registration code, university, or company name’ screen after entering your personal email, this usually means:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company email.
Go back to the main login screen and enter your company email, or contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
If you see the ‘registration code, university, or company name’ screen after entering your personal email, this means:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company email.
Go back to the main login screen and enter your company email, or contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
Verify with your HR/People team that your data has been submitted to Sonder. Once submitted, try the following troubleshooting steps if you’re still facing SSO login issues:
- Reinstall the app, clear any caches
- Make sure your default browser is set to Google Chrome and clear any Chrome caches and cookies
- Turn off any proxies or any VPN network that may be activated
- Connect directly with data/cellular internet.
- Use a non-work phone to see if you can login
- Use all lower case when entering your email address.
Verify with your University or organisation if you require registration code to enter the
Sonder app. If registration code is not the method your organisation uses to give you access to Sonder, then:
- You have not entered the correct email, or
- Your organisation has not provided Sonder with your company/university email. Contact your IT/HR/People team to submit your email to Sonder.
Check your ‘Spam’ or ‘Junk’ folder in your email inbox to find the password setting email. Check with your IT team to see if there are any email restrictions in place that restrict emails from outside of your organisation and to whitelist “no-reply@sonder.io” as a ‘Safe Sender’.
Sonder is currently only available exclusively through the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Provided your details have already been sent to Sonder and you don’t have access to your cell
phone at your workplace, you can use our online portal to complete your registration. Follow these steps to activate your account at your workplace:
- Go to Sonder Member Portal
- Enter your work email address (in lowercase) which will then trigger the password reset
- email to be sent to your email address.
- Open the password reset email and set your password.
- Your account has now been registered.
- Once you have access to your cell phone login using the credentials you have set.
When setting your password please use the following guidelines to create your password:
- Minimum 8 characters
- A number
- An uppercase letter
- A lowercase letter
Sonder takes privacy very seriously and our security philosophy in how we manage and protect data puts you and your people first. We maintain a robust security program that’s guided by formal policies and requirements that meet the latest industry standards. This ensures that we’re staying ahead of any cyber threat.
For more in-depth information about Sonder’s information security program - including details about certification, software development, business continuity, and data residency - please head over to our Sonder Security webpage.
Sonder takes privacy seriously and will only send you and your people an email for important matters that includes:
Member emails:
- Activation emails encouraging you to download Sonder (if you have opted in to do so)
- Replying to customer service enquiries
- Requesting or responding to feedback or complaints.
Organisational emails:
- Receiving an invitation to a Sonder event
- Invoicing and accounts information
To ensure that you and your people are receiving these important emails, we ask that you whitelist our Sonder domains and emails. Please follow these steps:
- Log in to your email management system or spam filter.
- Navigate to your whitelist or safe senders list. This will vary depending on the email management system you are using.
- Add the domains and email addresses the below domains to your whitelist:
- @sonder.io
- @sondersafe.com
- @member.sonder.io
- @accounts.sonder.io
- @intelligencebank.com
- hello@sonder.io
- hello@member.sonder.io
- no-reply@members.sonder.io
- hello@account.sonder.io
- If the whitelist requires you to whitelist subdomains, please include the subdomains for these domains as well.
- Save the changes to your whitelist.
To ensure data privacy and compliance with regional requirements, Sonder stores cloud data with Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres. This geographically distributed approach places your and your people’s data in the AWS region you require, be it Australia or the United Kingdom.
Backups for data are performed daily, are encrypted, and are stored in AWS region data centres. Recovery practices are conducted at least annually and are aligned to meet RPO/RTO/MAO objectives outlined within Sonder’s Business Continuity Plan (BCP).
These AWS data centres are ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliant, and include backup power, HVAC systems and fire suppression equipment to help protect servers and ultimately your data. AWS on-site security includes features such as security guards, fencing, security feeds, intrusion detection technology and other security measures.
Sonder is dedicated to safeguarding you and your people’s personal information by following privacy laws. Guided by formal policies, detailed requirements, and legislation, Sonder’s security program maintains confidentiality and integrity of you and your people’s information as per best practice standards for the industry.
Reasonable care is taken to protect personal information and up-to-date data security measures, policies, practices, and procedures are implemented. When personal information is no longer required (unless stated by the law), Sonder will destroy or de-identify this data.
It’s important to note that transmission of information via the internet isn’t completely secure and while Sonder will do its best to protect your personal information, there’s no guarantee for the security of any personal information transmitted.
By using Sonder’s platform and services, you give permission for Sonder to responsibly manage your personal information as per its Privacy Policy. Head over there for an in-depth look at the measures Sonder takes to protect you and your people’s information and privacy.
Refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.
Sonder takes privacy very seriously and our security philosophy in how we manage and protect data puts you and your people first. We maintain a robust security program that’s guided by formal policies and requirements that meet the latest industry standards. This ensures that we’re staying ahead of any cyber threat.
For more in-depth information about Sonder’s information security program - including details about certification, software development, business continuity, and data residency - please head over to our Sonder Security webpage.
Sonder takes privacy seriously and will only send you and your people an email for important matters that includes:
Member emails:
- Activation emails encouraging you to download Sonder (if you have opted in to do so)
- Replying to customer service enquiries
- Requesting or responding to feedback or complaints.
Organisational emails:
- Receiving an invitation to a Sonder event
- Invoicing and accounts information
To ensure that you and your people are receiving these important emails, we ask that you whitelist our Sonder domains and emails. Please follow these steps:
- Log in to your email management system or spam filter.
- Navigate to your whitelist or safe senders list. This will vary depending on the email management system you are using.
- Add the domains and email addresses the below domains to your whitelist:
- @sonder.io
- @sondersafe.com
- @member.sonder.io
- @accounts.sonder.io
- @intelligencebank.com
- hello@sonder.io
- hello@member.sonder.io
- no-reply@members.sonder.io
- hello@account.sonder.io
- If the whitelist requires you to whitelist subdomains, please include the subdomains for these domains as well.
- Save the changes to your whitelist.
To ensure data privacy and compliance with regional requirements, Sonder stores cloud data with Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres. This geographically distributed approach places your and your people’s data in the AWS region you require, be it Australia or the United Kingdom.
Backups for data are performed daily, are encrypted, and are stored in AWS region data centres. Recovery practices are conducted at least annually and are aligned to meet RPO/RTO/MAO objectives outlined within Sonder’s Business Continuity Plan (BCP).
These AWS data centres are ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliant, and include backup power, HVAC systems and fire suppression equipment to help protect servers and ultimately your data. AWS on-site security includes features such as security guards, fencing, security feeds, intrusion detection technology and other security measures.
Sonder is dedicated to safeguarding you and your people’s personal information by following privacy laws. Guided by formal policies, detailed requirements, and legislation, Sonder’s security program maintains confidentiality and integrity of you and your people’s information as per best practice standards for the industry.
Reasonable care is taken to protect personal information and up-to-date data security measures, policies, practices, and procedures are implemented. When personal information is no longer required (unless stated by the law), Sonder will destroy or de-identify this data.
It’s important to note that transmission of information via the internet isn’t completely secure and while Sonder will do its best to protect your personal information, there’s no guarantee for the security of any personal information transmitted.
By using Sonder’s platform and services, you give permission for Sonder to responsibly manage your personal information as per its Privacy Policy. Head over there for an in-depth look at the measures Sonder takes to protect you and your people’s information and privacy.
Refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.
Sonder defines a critical incident as any workplace or on-campus event that occurs that has the potential to cause trauma to those who have experienced or witnessed it.
The Sonder team will assess, support, and manage those who are affected by a critical incident in order to ensure that they will receive the right type of care. In addition to supporting those affected by the critical incident, Sonder will also notify others who are close by to ensure their safety and welfare.
When a critical incident occurs, the Sonder team will assess, support, and manage those who are affected in order to ensure that they will receive the right type of care. Sonder’s dedicated Incident Manager will ensure that the response is appropriately resourced and aligned with our clinical governance. This may include in-person or digital support options within the Sonder app.
If in-person support is deemed appropriate following a critical incident, a Sonder Responder will attend the site to provide immediate psychological first aid, as well as identify others affected by the incident and explain to them how they can receive individual support.
Following the critical incident, the Sonder Responder will then work with the Incident Manager to identify and enrol those impacted by the event into a ‘Critical Incident Workflow’, which is a 5-week in-app nurture stream of messages to reinforce the support available to them that was developed in line with clinical best practice for early response to psychological trauma.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
Sonder Responders are recruited and trained to provide in-person safety and wellbeing support across Australia and New Zealand. Responders come from a wide range of emergency services - including nursing, military and social worker backgrounds - and typically have at least 8-10 years of experience within their field.
The primary role of a Sonder Responder is to provide overall safety, psychological first aid, identify those who are impacted, and to explain how to connect with Sonder for support.
When considering deploying a Responder, Sonder will consider all circumstances of the support case, including the type of incident, response time, relevant skill sets, gender, and any potential conflicts of interest. The decision to deploy a responder is the sole discretion of Sonder.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
A key Responder requirement is to have experience in dealing with complex, critical situations. Responders are trained to provide support to those going through potentially traumatic experiences, and complete regular refresher training.
Specific training includes psychological first aid, enabling Responders to quickly and accurately identify those who are ‘at risk’, as well as contextualised critical incident training, that ensures compliance with our clinical governance standards.
Historical methods of psychological debriefing and trauma counselling, as delivered by some traditional EAP providers, have been shown as an intervention method through Australian and International research to be ineffective, and possibly leading to an increased risk of developing mental health symptoms including PTSD.
As such, it is imperative that Sonder delivers clinically informed and best practice critical incident support, which is why Sonder’s model of care advocates and delivers psychological first aid (PFA) as opposed to psychological debriefing.
Sonder defines a critical incident as any workplace or on-campus event that occurs that has the potential to cause trauma to those who have experienced or witnessed it.
The Sonder team will assess, support, and manage those who are affected by a critical incident in order to ensure that they will receive the right type of care. In addition to supporting those affected by the critical incident, Sonder will also notify others who are close by to ensure their safety and welfare.
When a critical incident occurs, the Sonder team will assess, support, and manage those who are affected in order to ensure that they will receive the right type of care. Sonder’s dedicated Incident Manager will ensure that the response is appropriately resourced and aligned with our clinical governance. This may include in-person or digital support options within the Sonder app.
If in-person support is deemed appropriate following a critical incident, a Sonder Responder will attend the site to provide immediate psychological first aid, as well as identify others affected by the incident and explain to them how they can receive individual support.
Following the critical incident, the Sonder Responder will then work with the Incident Manager to identify and enrol those impacted by the event into a ‘Critical Incident Workflow’, which is a 5-week in-app nurture stream of messages to reinforce the support available to them that was developed in line with clinical best practice for early response to psychological trauma.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
Sonder Responders are recruited and trained to provide in-person safety and wellbeing support across Australia and New Zealand. Responders come from a wide range of emergency services - including nursing, military and social worker backgrounds - and typically have at least 8-10 years of experience within their field.
The primary role of a Sonder Responder is to provide overall safety, psychological first aid, identify those who are impacted, and to explain how to connect with Sonder for support.
When considering deploying a Responder, Sonder will consider all circumstances of the support case, including the type of incident, response time, relevant skill sets, gender, and any potential conflicts of interest. The decision to deploy a responder is the sole discretion of Sonder.
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
A key Responder requirement is to have experience in dealing with complex, critical situations. Responders are trained to provide support to those going through potentially traumatic experiences, and complete regular refresher training.
Specific training includes psychological first aid, enabling Responders to quickly and accurately identify those who are ‘at risk’, as well as contextualised critical incident training, that ensures compliance with our clinical governance standards.
Historical methods of psychological debriefing and trauma counselling, as delivered by some traditional EAP providers, have been shown as an intervention method through Australian and International research to be ineffective, and possibly leading to an increased risk of developing mental health symptoms including PTSD.
As such, it is imperative that Sonder delivers clinically informed and best practice critical incident support, which is why Sonder’s model of care advocates and delivers psychological first aid (PFA) as opposed to psychological debriefing.
Some people may identify with historically disadvantaged social, ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, or religious groups. Sonder’s wellbeing model is designed to ensure everyone's intrinsic factors are considered throughout any support provided.
Additionally, to better support you and your people who specifically identify with a socially vulnerable group, Sonder’s team completes bespoke training and allyship programs, and we ensure our clinicians meet current Children's Worker Safety Checks.
For complex cases, Sonder has a dedicated team of clinical leaders that can intervene early to prevent worsening medical, mental health or safety concerns. If you require language support over the phone or through video, Sonder can provide interpreter services with over 300 languages available, including traditional indigenous languages spoken across Australia.
Sonder has also partnered with an AUSLAN Sign Language interpreter should one be required. These video consultations must be booked at least one business day in advance.
Generally, a minor is capable of independently consenting to or refusing their medical treatment when they achieve a sufficient level of understanding and intelligence to enable them to fully understand what is proposed. This means that there is no set age at which a child or young person is capable of giving consent. Sonder’s clinicians will decide on a case-by-case basis whether a minor has the appropriate legal capacity to consent.
Where appropriate, a parent or legal guardian may provide consent on behalf of the minor. Sonder will seek to contact the parent or guardian on the minor’s behalf when appropriate.
It’s a preferred practice that you and your people supply up-to-date next of kin or emergency contact details for minors - their parents, guardians, or equivalent. Sonder’s terms and conditions require parental consent for minors to download and use the Sonder offering, which can be accessed at the login screen when registering.
Specific to mental health support, Sonder and its network of providers does not provide psychological therapy and counselling to those under the age of 15. Sonder will assess the needs of the minor and their parent/legal guardian and aim to provide direct support to the parent/guardian to facilitate positive outcomes for the minor.
In Australia, you must have the legal capacity to be able to provide consent to treatment. Your legal capacity is assessed by Sonder during a support interaction. Legal capacity is considered in line with the proposed treatment. You need to be able to understand the nature and effect of the decision to consent, and demonstrate their understanding by communicating this in some way.
You and your people are encouraged to raise complaints directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
If you want to lodge a complaint through the Sonder app, follow the following steps:
- Tap on the ‘More’ tab on the Sonder app home screen.
- Scroll down to ‘Feedback’ and tap on it.
- Tap on the ‘Feedback type’ dropdown menu and select ‘complaint’.
If you, a manager, or a HR/P&C rep are lodging a complaint on the behalf of one of your people using hello@sonder.io, use the following email template:
Subject: Complaint
Email body:
- Employee name and email address
- Employee consent: yes/no
(if raising a complaint on behalf of someone) - Date of case:
- Details about the case:
- ○ What is the scenario and/ or concern
- ○ How did Sonder not meet expectations
- ○ Any other details you believe will be relevant for us to investigate the situation
Important: If you are raising a complaint on behalf of someone, Sonder won’t be able to share specific case details unless the person gives explicit consent.
When a complaint is lodged, a reply of acknowledgement and an outline of expected response time will be sent within 1 business day. This initial stage involves Sonder’s Help Desk conducting an initial assessment of the complaint.
Next will be an investigation of the complaint by the Quality Assurance Manager involving a review of product and process to identify, assess, and apply learnings where possible. As part of the QA Manager’s investigation, it will incorporate recommendations provided by a Sonder Clinician, identify internal actions to be communicated, and assess any continuous improvement opportunities.
Once the complaint review is complete, remediation may include conducting a welfare check, clinical support, responder deployment, and appropriate communications with the person who submitted the complaint (which may include a summary of the review, including actions taken to remedy).
If you and your people are in Australia, you will have access to Sonder’s safety, medical and mental health services. Legally, Sonder’s clinicians cannot provide medical or mental health support outside of Australia, United Kingdom or New Zealand, although in an emergency, our clinicians will intervene to ensure your safety.
Outside of Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand, Sonder’s in-app content, non-clinical advice and referral service to relevant local resources is available to everyone globally.
If your organisation has chosen to include the ‘international mental health support’ option, Sonder provides trusted local providers for clinical psychological support across Asia and other regions. Specifically:
- India
- Indonesia
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Thailand
- South Korea
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Taiwan
- China
- Hong Kong
- Vietnam
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
Yes, Sonder’s thought leadership content is based on evidence, data, and research involving medical experts. In addition to thought leadership reports, Sonder also hosts webinars in which experts across a wide range of industries share their insights on workplace safety, mental health, organisation wellbeing, and personal wellbeing.
If you and your people want to explore Sonder’s latest insights into adopting a proactive wellbeing culture and improving organisational and your own personal wellbeing, please head over to our library of published reports and webinars here:
Yes, with a wealth of experience, data, and case studies garnered from supporting people over several years, Sonder has complied all that important wellbeing knowledge into a library of articles that shine the spotlight on important personal and organisational issues, such as burnout, psychosocial hazards, employee wellbeing, and physical safety.
If you and your people want to dive into these customer case studies, head over here:
Some people may identify with historically disadvantaged social, ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, or religious groups. Sonder’s wellbeing model is designed to ensure everyone's intrinsic factors are considered throughout any support provided.
Additionally, to better support you and your people who specifically identify with a socially vulnerable group, Sonder’s team completes bespoke training and allyship programs, and we ensure our clinicians meet current Children's Worker Safety Checks.
For complex cases, Sonder has a dedicated team of clinical leaders that can intervene early to prevent worsening medical, mental health or safety concerns. If you require language support over the phone or through video, Sonder can provide interpreter services with over 300 languages available, including traditional indigenous languages spoken across Australia.
Sonder has also partnered with an AUSLAN Sign Language interpreter should one be required. These video consultations must be booked at least one business day in advance.
Generally, a minor is capable of independently consenting to or refusing their medical treatment when they achieve a sufficient level of understanding and intelligence to enable them to fully understand what is proposed. This means that there is no set age at which a child or young person is capable of giving consent. Sonder’s clinicians will decide on a case-by-case basis whether a minor has the appropriate legal capacity to consent.
Where appropriate, a parent or legal guardian may provide consent on behalf of the minor. Sonder will seek to contact the parent or guardian on the minor’s behalf when appropriate.
It’s a preferred practice that you and your people supply up-to-date next of kin or emergency contact details for minors - their parents, guardians, or equivalent. Sonder’s terms and conditions require parental consent for minors to download and use the Sonder offering, which can be accessed at the login screen when registering.
Specific to mental health support, Sonder and its network of providers does not provide psychological therapy and counselling to those under the age of 15. Sonder will assess the needs of the minor and their parent/legal guardian and aim to provide direct support to the parent/guardian to facilitate positive outcomes for the minor.
In Australia, you must have the legal capacity to be able to provide consent to treatment. Your legal capacity is assessed by Sonder during a support interaction. Legal capacity is considered in line with the proposed treatment. You need to be able to understand the nature and effect of the decision to consent, and demonstrate their understanding by communicating this in some way.
You and your people are encouraged to raise complaints directly via the Sonder app or through the email hello@sonder.io. This is so the team can refer to specific case details without privacy or consent concerns.
If you want to lodge a complaint through the Sonder app, follow the following steps:
- Tap on the ‘More’ tab on the Sonder app home screen.
- Scroll down to ‘Feedback’ and tap on it.
- Tap on the ‘Feedback type’ dropdown menu and select ‘complaint’.
If you, a manager, or a HR/P&C rep are lodging a complaint on the behalf of one of your people using hello@sonder.io, use the following email template:
Subject: Complaint
Email body:
- Employee name and email address
- Employee consent: yes/no
(if raising a complaint on behalf of someone) - Date of case:
- Details about the case:
- ○ What is the scenario and/ or concern
- ○ How did Sonder not meet expectations
- ○ Any other details you believe will be relevant for us to investigate the situation
Important: If you are raising a complaint on behalf of someone, Sonder won’t be able to share specific case details unless the person gives explicit consent.
When a complaint is lodged, a reply of acknowledgement and an outline of expected response time will be sent within 1 business day. This initial stage involves Sonder’s Help Desk conducting an initial assessment of the complaint.
Next will be an investigation of the complaint by the Quality Assurance Manager involving a review of product and process to identify, assess, and apply learnings where possible. As part of the QA Manager’s investigation, it will incorporate recommendations provided by a Sonder Clinician, identify internal actions to be communicated, and assess any continuous improvement opportunities.
Once the complaint review is complete, remediation may include conducting a welfare check, clinical support, responder deployment, and appropriate communications with the person who submitted the complaint (which may include a summary of the review, including actions taken to remedy).
If you and your people are in Australia, you will have access to Sonder’s safety, medical and mental health services. Legally, Sonder’s clinicians cannot provide medical or mental health support outside of Australia, United Kingdom or New Zealand, although in an emergency, our clinicians will intervene to ensure your safety.
Outside of Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand, Sonder’s in-app content, non-clinical advice and referral service to relevant local resources is available to everyone globally.
If your organisation has chosen to include the ‘international mental health support’ option, Sonder provides trusted local providers for clinical psychological support across Asia and other regions. Specifically:
- India
- Indonesia
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Thailand
- South Korea
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Taiwan
- China
- Hong Kong
- Vietnam
Refer to our Model of Care for more information.
Yes, Sonder’s thought leadership content is based on evidence, data, and research involving medical experts. In addition to thought leadership reports, Sonder also hosts webinars in which experts across a wide range of industries share their insights on workplace safety, mental health, organisation wellbeing, and personal wellbeing.
If you and your people want to explore Sonder’s latest insights into adopting a proactive wellbeing culture and improving organisational and your own personal wellbeing, please head over to our library of published reports and webinars here:
Yes, with a wealth of experience, data, and case studies garnered from supporting people over several years, Sonder has complied all that important wellbeing knowledge into a library of articles that shine the spotlight on important personal and organisational issues, such as burnout, psychosocial hazards, employee wellbeing, and physical safety.
If you and your people want to dive into these customer case studies, head over here:
