Vacation

Last week, I went on vacation with my family. This trip was unusual for us, as we went to an area that is truly a major tourist city, filled with a variety of attractions and entertainment. We usually avoid these kinds of places, as we prefer quieter, less chaotic spaces for time off. But we had good reason to go, and so we did. The other thing that was unusual on this trip is that we stayed for a full week; we typically go only for a few days at a time. 

During the course of our trip, we had occasional need for transportation from place-to-place, but not enough to merit a rental car for the whole trip. So, we used a shuttle service to and from the airport and to one of the attractions. The rest of the time, we used a popular ride-share service.

In both of those situations, something disturbing was blatantly, and sometimes uncomfortably obvious about how both of those transportation services are operated. 

Allow me to describe what I witnessed and experienced, and then I’ll dive into the underlying issues, messages, and implications of the philosophies and practices that appear to be at play in each of these businesses and mindsets. 

Big Signs

When we got into the shuttle van from the airport to our hotel, we couldn’t help but see a sign that was taped to the passenger windows of the van. It said, in BIG, BOLDletters: GRATUITIES ARE THE MAJOR SOURCE OF DRIVER COMPENSATION. Please, be mindful of this as you exit the vehicle after your trip. 

I can speak only for myself, but this didn’t resonate with me in a positive way, at all. First, a gratuity – or tip – is at the giver’s discretion and (in my maybe-not-so-humble opinion) is based on the giver’s assessment of the service he or she received from the person who would receive the tip. 

In some cases, I am inspired to give generously and in others, not so much! I find myself resistant to and resentful of pressure to give a generous tip because of some other factor at play in the interaction. I also find it a sad commentary on the state of some kinds of business in which the employees are paid less than minimum wage because there’s a presumption they will make up the difference in tips. 

A Tip is a Gift

Again, a tip is a gift – not a given (unless it’s already included in your bill and you have no choice about offering it, which does happen in some situations). Absolutely, there are some who earn great tips and it works out, but that’s not the case for all who are dependent on tips for a living. 

I also wonder at the mindset of the business owner who would allow (or did they place…?) the placement of these signs in their vehicles. 

What’s Going on in these Businesses? 

It pretty much screams – “We don’t get paid enough to support ourselves and our families on what the company pays us! Please, take pity on us and give us big tips, so we can survive.” Or maybe it’s “We don’t pay our employees enough to live on, so please give them a big tip to make up for it.” 

Is it because the business is truly barely liquid and there isn’t enough money to cover operational costs and pay drivers well? Is it something else? Having no insight into the internal workings of the operation or the thinking of the people, I can’t know for sure. 

Victim or Value? 

In the case of the ride-share service, I found it interesting (and unsettling) that our first driver made a point of showing me the message on his phone which showed how much of the cost of our ride he would actually be paid. It was less than 50%. Again, these drivers are very much dependent on receiving generous tips from riders or driving lots and lots of hours to make decent money. 

The second ride-share driver offered to drive us back to our hotel for cash, rather than doing the transaction through the ride-share app, so he would get the full amount, and the cash would be unaccounted for. I declined. 

Lots of Missing Information

Again, I can’t know for sure what’s going on in these companies or the thinking of the people involved. All I can do is consider what I experienced, what I think may be at play, and draw my conclusions – which are perhaps completely wrong. 

But here’s where my train of thought went… Having grown up in a single-parent home, with a mother who worked as a waitress in a coffee shop, I understand how hard it is to earn a living in the service industry. Unless you are in a “prestige” facility or business, the pay is crummy, the tips are not guaranteed, and often times employees are not treated well by the business owners and managers. Oh, and there are no benefits; no safety net. 

The drivers we encountered last week were pleasant and obviously working to earn a living to support themselves and their families. They were clean and presented themselves neatly. Their vehicles were clean, and I had no concern that they weren’t sound enough to get us to our various destinations. 

Curiosity about Culture

I wonder at the business practices, cultures, and leadership styles of the people running the companies, however. In the case of the shuttle service, it was locally-owned and operated. My assumption is that the drivers were in close contact with the owner operators. Which means there is clear and present opportunity to proactively and thoughtfully create a culture. 

With the ride-share service, there is no local office. The people who built the company, created the system, and provide the software the “company” runs on are distant and likely will never be known, personally, by any of the drivers. In fact, if I wanted to, I could log into their site right now and sign up to be one of their drivers! 

While that doesn’t mean they couldn’t also proactively and intentionally create an organizational culture, it does make it more difficult. Building culture is dependent on people and relationships, beliefs, values, and behaviors. It’s hard to do that from a distance. 

Taking Ownership of Choices

Another factor at play in all of this is the employee. Whether they believe it’s true or not, each of them has a choice about where to give their time, effort, and energy. They could choose to find other employment with companies they believe might treat them better or pay them well. I’m not saying this is easy or convenient to do, just that it’s possible. 

Even though some of them are clearly dissatisfied with how it works and what they are earning, they choose to stay. And they place themselves in victim-mode by making their predicament obvious to their customers… the unspoken message seemed to be: “I’m being taken advantage of by my employer; take pity on me and give me a big tip.” 

What if they shifted their thinking to step into the role and offer exemplary service, with confidence in themselves and the value of what they offer, and earn a bigger tip through value exchange? 

Still Wondering… What do You Think? 

Clearly, I don’t have the answers and I’m very much aware I’m making assumptions based on incomplete information. I only know the interactions, behaviors, and messages were unsettling and notable enough to be still on my mind nearly a week after arriving home. 

I’m curious what you think about all this? I do hope you’ll share your thoughts. It’s through thoughtful and eye-opening dialogue that I believe we can learn and grow. 

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Copyright 2019 Laura Prisc, Conscious Leadership Partners  www.consciousleadershippartners.com

Laura Prisc is The Most Trusted Authority on Conscious Leadership; she is a certified Gallup Strengths Coach, certified People Acuity Coach, Gallup-Trained Builder Profile Coach, and a member of the John Maxwell Team.