5 ms·

If tipping is necessary to incentivise good service (i.e. workers doing their job properly), why isn't it the norm in every job?

• golergka 7y ago
  Because other jobs have better mechanisms for this, because they rely on very repeated transactions. Eating in a restoraunt or drinking in a bar is often a one-off transaction, so there's no way for a mechanism of reputation to kick in.
• SuoDuanDao 7y ago
  Because some unreasonable people get upset when we try to tip police and bureaucrats :)
• jumbopapa 7y ago
  It is normal in many jobs, but you might call it a bonus instead of a tip.
  • phatfish 7y ago
    A bonus is nothing like a tip. It's paid for by the employer for meeting set targets/KPIs. It's not a good will gesture from a customer.
    • jumbopapa 7y ago
      It's very similar to a tip. It's incentive based pay for doing your job well. It does come from the customer, but it goes through a middleman (your employer) first.
      • squeaky-clean 7y ago
        Still gonna join the disagreeing group. When I worked delivery upwards of 80% of my revenue was tips. That alone makes it very different. It's not a bonus to your income, it's get tips or die.
        • jfk13 7y ago
          Was your employer not paying at least minimum wage for your work? That should be illegal...
          • mrguyorama 7y ago
            A reminder that getting justice here in America is both expensive and time consuming, while starving to death is quicker and free
          • squeaky-clean 7y ago
            Tipped minimum wage is much lower than standard minimum wage. It was under $4 at the time in the state I lived in. You technically have to be compensated up to regular minimum wage if tips don't make it but that's a great way to get your hours reduced due to "scheduling changes"
            • jfk13 7y ago
              I realise that's how it works in some places, but I think it's an outrageous system and shouldn't be legal.
        • jumbopapa 7y ago
          It's not that uncommon in white collar jobs though. I have a few friends that work in engineering, banking, and sales that rely mostly on an annual bonus. It makes up 50% or more of their total take home pay.
• alkonaut 7y ago
  Most countries have restaurant tips, but afaik only the US has it as a standardized part of the prices and actually a part of the staffs pay. I get good service in restaurants because it's their job, but I can tip 0-10% if the service is beyond what I expect. The important thing isn't that the pay is guaranteed for staff that doesn't provide good service, what's important is that their pay is guaranteed even if there are no customers. Bringing in customers isn't the job of waiting staff (apart from providing good service) - so their pay should never depend on it.
  • jfk13 7y ago
    Just like the cashier in the grocery store, or the sales assistant in the department store, or the counter clerk in the bookstore. None of whom depend on tips, as far as I'm aware.
  • PeterStuer 7y ago
    "Most countries have restaurant tips" That is not true. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity
    • alkonaut 7y ago
      I think that map at least very few countries have it as something unknown/surprising/frowned upon. I do consider the “round up bill/not expected” we have where I live as definitely “having restaurant tip”
      • PeterStuer 7y ago
        Round up the bill has mostly sunset with the advent of electronic card payments.
  • Craighead 7y ago
    You just completely spoke past the commenter you replied to. Why don't we tip for every job then?
• remon 7y ago
  It is. People keep getting offended by the notion that money incentivises people to do a better job. Most jobs where this has proven to work do exactly that (bonuses, raises, etc.). All else being equal you will get better service from a person that is directly rewarded by offering that better service. Should it work that way? No. Does it? Obviously. And yes we can all think of outliers and yes some culturing differences play into this (Japan has a no tipping culture and on average has excellent service) but I live in Amsterdam and the service on average is absolutely less customer focused here than what I experience in the US. It's worth pointing out I also prefer it that way (not a huge fan of constantly being asked if I need anything and less than genuine niceties but that's a subjective thing)