Shivani Carriers Pvt. Ltd.: Managing Employee Motivation at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Abstract

Vandana Laddha, Director - Driver Management and Fleet Operations at Shivani Carriers Pvt. Ltd., cleared her desk for the day and took a deep sigh. It was another day filled with a littany of complaints from her drivers, mostly centred around their compensation. For the last few weeks, she had been nagged with worries about the effectiveness of the driver management system, which had been implemented under her leadership over the last one year. She knew that discontent was brewing among drivers, especially, the modification of the special incentive scheme, which was designed to boost productivity, seemed to be the sore point. She had been thinking about what could be done to keep the truck drivers motivated.

This case was prepared for inclusion in Sage Business Cases primarily as a basis for classroom discussion or self-study, and is not meant to illustrate either effective or ineffective management styles. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be an endorsement of any kind. This case is for scholarly, educational, or personal use only within your university, and cannot be forwarded outside the university or used for other commercial purposes.

2024 Sage Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Resources

Exhibit 1: Organization Structure

Figure

Source: Shivani Carriers, Company records

Exhibit 2: Annual Turnover

Year

Turnover (INR Crores 1 )

March 31, 2009

14.67

March 31, 2010

25.84

March 31, 2011

32.02

March 31, 2012

34.77

March 31, 2013

34.89

March 31, 2014

40.22

March 31, 2015

50.28

Note: In 2012-13 the business was split and a separate company named Shivani Logistics was incorporated

Source: Shivani Carriers, Company records

Exhibit 3: Responsibilities of management and staff associated with driver management system

Drivers: To drive more and follow the instructions given by managers

Traffic Managers: To help drivers by continuous monitoring and coordination; to give daily targets to drivers

Branch Managers: To arrange for fast movement by quick unloading, loading and fast paperwork

Workshop Managers: To keep vehicles in up to date condition in order to avoid roadside breakages, and to also move vehicles out from workshop faster

Management: To ensure coordination between all stakeholders in order to execute the plan successfully

Source: Shivani Carriers, Company records

Exhibit 4: Outstanding performers of the Month (December 2014)

Figure

Source: Shivani Carriers, Company records

Exhibit 5: Typical life of a truck driver

The life of truck drivers was extremely tough. Their work required them to be on the road for almost 18 hours each day. Drivers had to stay away from their families for extended periods of time, sometimes almost for a month.

On road, they had to forgo basic amenities of life such as washroom facilities, safe places to sleep and hygenic food. There were no facilities available for them to rest enroute or during unloading phase. Usually they would park their trucks on the road or in the client company’s parking space. If the unloading took three days, the driver had to live in the parked truck for three days. Sometimes there was no access to clean drinking water during such wait periods.

The overall appearance of drivers led to many assumptions and stereotypes about them. They were seen as unkempt because of personal hygiene issues and the way they communicated. The general impression was that a driver was someone who wore dirty clothes, did not cut his hair, did not shave, did not take a bath and did not even wash his face on a regular basis. Because of the way they presented themselves they were shunned by people who interacted with them.

Hotels enroute would treat them with disdain and in many cases would refuse to serve them with basic courtesy. Toll booth operators, RTO officials, petrol pump attendants, police, staff at client premises – most people interacted with them in a disrespectful manner. A driver had to cope with corrupt and difficult officials and with thefts on highways. In some parts of the country, there was a fear of looting. The drivers felt that the Government was not concerned about their security. According to the drivers, corruption was rampant. They said, for example, at toll booths officials asked for INR 500 as toll payment and returned a receipt for INR 50. The drivers said that police too were corrupt and asked for money. According to the drivers, even when their papers were in order, policemen would hit them or cause damage to their vehicle, for example, by smashing a headlight. One driver 2 remarked:

Chor se zyaada policewale se darr lagta hai. Peecha kareinge…chupkar humko pakad lete hain. Suraksha ke naam par lawaaris hai driver. (We are more afraid of the police than the thieves. They will follow us. In some states, they hide and pounce on us. There is no one to look out for the safety of a driver.)

Another driver further shared:

Sab humein gaali dete hain, sab danda maarte hain, paise maangte hain. Koi humein samajhta nahin hai. (Everybody abuses us, hits us, everybody extorts from us. Nobody understands us.)

Stories of “hot rooms” where drivers were held captive and beaten up with whips by owners or managers for theft or other misdemeanours were an open secret in the industry. Even in those firms where beatings and abuse did not take place, there was a distinct difference in the way drivers were treated and other staff was treated.

The lack of respect they experienced from everyone was dehumanizing for them. One driver said, “Humari koi izzat nahin hai. (We have no respect).”

While another driver expressed, “Hum dharti ka bhojh hain, kachre samaan. (We are like burden on this earth, like garbage.)”

Many drivers were addicted to narcotics like bhang (marijuana), gaanja (cannabis), pills, alchohol and tobacco. Some were addicted to gambling. Addiction led to time wastage and reduction of efficiency. In addition, drivers who were addicted were always short of cash and were not able to save anything, which affected their family lives.

Drivers expressed that they felt trapped by their life circumstances. One driver remarked:

Main gaadi chhodkar chutti par bhi nahin jaa sakta na. Koi aur meri jagah le lega. (I can not leave the vehicle and go on leave. Someone will come and take my place.)

Another said:

Humein koi aur kaam nahin aata hai. Agar chhod doonga toh kuch nahin hai mere paas. Bas bacchon ko paal rahein hain. Bhookhe marne wale haal hain. (We do not know any other work. If I stop, I have nothing. I am barely bringing up my kids. We will be on the verge of starvation.)

Source: Based on interviews conducted with the drivers by the author

Notes

1. 1 crore = 10 million

2. The names of drivers have been withheld to maintain their confidentiality.

This case was prepared for inclusion in Sage Business Cases primarily as a basis for classroom discussion or self-study, and is not meant to illustrate either effective or ineffective management styles. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be an endorsement of any kind. This case is for scholarly, educational, or personal use only within your university, and cannot be forwarded outside the university or used for other commercial purposes.

2024 Sage Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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