The Tipping Debate: Gratitude or Obligation?

in Hive Learners9 days ago

Here in my country, tipping people for their services is considered optional, but then, reading from other people, I discovered that some countries actually make tipping mandatory and even place a percentage on it. That's really surprising to me because once tipping becomes mandatory, should it still be called tipping anymore? And the more surprising aspects of this discovery from countries that makes tipping become an obligation are that some of the employees even complain if they don't receive tips. Wow!

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Tipping should be an act of gratitude, or let's say a token of appreciation we give to people when we feel so satisfied with the service they rendered to us. Tipping is not a salary but goes a long way in encouraging workers to keep doing great with their services. Some people, when they get hired, carry out their services as if it were their personal or family business. With all their hearts, they make sure to satisfy customers, doing their job diligently even beyond customers expectations. I have encountered this kind of people in my life, and sincerely, I am always moved to tip them out of my own will and not that anyone forced me.

Personally, I have also received tips in the past, and the feeling was heavenly. It gave me lots of motivation to keep up the good work I was doing. Sometimes, these tips cover lots of work expenses without me dipping my hands in my salary, and it's a whole lot of encouragement to any staff who enjoys this kind of token. I think if the situation warrants that you tip anyone for their nice services rendered to you, just do it freely to encourage such a person. It can be your workers, or a waiter; it can also be delivery personnel, taxi drivers, or even housekeepers at home. Some of these workers are really underpaid, and receiving tips can help sustain them better, but it shouldn't be mandatory. What if I had only available money for the service I received and had no extra to tip? Then I should be deprived of the service? This obviously is not sitting well with me, and I am glad that over here, it's never mandatory.

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One of my extreme experiences with the tipping culture was a time I traveled to Epe here in Lagos State. You know all these road safety and police officers always standing on the road checking for car papers and the rest; it's no longer news that they have made tipping a compulsory act within their profession, not that the government ordered them to be collecting tips from road users. Most of them, either you tip them or they will waste your time as long as you cough out the money. So already, whenever we are embarking on travel, we usually keep small amounts of money in case of these officers in order to save our time from their feeling of entitlement.

So on this faithful day, we had no cash in the car, and the officers stopped us. They checked all our car papers and safety gadgets and saw that everything was intact. Instead of giving us a pass, they insisted that we tip them. We explained to them that we were rushing to the hospital to see a consultant and didn't remember to carry cash along. Like play, the officer seized my husband's car key and his driver's license pending when we do a money transfer to them. I was bitter and angry. Like this was supposed to be an optional offer, but people have decided to be taking advantage of others through their position. After some minutes of pleading with them without success, we had no option but to do a money transfer to them out of our will, and that was how they granted us access to continue with our journey.

In summary, I think tipping should be something we should do out of our own will. Also, if I find myself in a situation that warrants that I should tip a service worker, I should generously do that to encourage such a person, and the service workers, on the other hand, shouldn't depend on tips to survive but should have a neural mind as they continue to render services.

Image 1, image 2 was taken from canva

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"...some of the employees even complain if they don't receive tips..."

In my country, tips are not mandatory, but commonly given on a voluntary basis. Because of that, many restaurant owners do not pay their "wait staff" (waitresses, waiters) a "living wage" where they can easily survive. So, tips are actually what helps the wait staff to earn a modest living from what they do. It is sad, and it's like asking the patrons of the restaurant to subsidize the salary of the wait staff. Not leaving a tip might mean the waitress cannot afford her basic housing rent or transportation costs. And, if she is raising a child, it hurts even more. 😕 The wait staff here would never complain to a customer about such, but if one knows a person who works in the food industry, it's discussed among friends later (which is how I know about the situation).

Also, it is illegal here for police to take a bribe, and the person offering the bribe (hoping for special treatment) can be charged for such action as a crime! It is strange how things are different all over the world! 😆

 8 days ago  

😃😃, it is indeed strange how many things happen differently in our world. It's high time we begin to charge the police men here for this illegal behavior because it hurts .. lolz

Wow..it's okay to tip these wait staffs at least to support their earnings...it will only be unfair if it's made mandatory. It also makes more sense if their salaries will be received at least to cover a bit of their basic needs without them, really relying on tips which may NOT come on a daily basis.

 9 days ago  

I feel tipping system should be stopped now because in the present time many take it for sure and based on tip we receive different treatment and it's unfair.
!PIZZA

 8 days ago  

Exactly...but if it's not mandatory, I don't see anything bad in it that much ...some persons love being generous you know

 9 days ago  

I never knew tipping workers in some countries is mandatory. I think it's only normal to give a tip if you're satisfied with their services,and that's also optional and not by force.

Hmm Naija police and their longer throat

 9 days ago  

Exactly my dear..I was amazed by this discovery
Our naija police are something else

Hi! It seems that the font in the second image is not available, would you mind editing and fixing this?

 9 days ago  

Do you mean re-uploading my second image used in this post?

No, ignore what I said 😅. It looks like I had a display problem and I can already see that the second image is from canva. Apologies.

 9 days ago  

Hehehe 😃😃

It's alright then

Thank you!

Hahaha, this is one funny experience to read but indeed painful to experience (you and the Police). When privileges turns to right it will soon go wrong. Tipping should be freewill, period.

 9 days ago  

It should be free will my dear...some experience are quite annoying


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 8 days ago  

Thanks for the curation ❤️

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