What Happens When No One is Watching? Answer: Nothing Good

It’s Christmas eve, and if you celebrate Christmas, then I really hope you have all of your shopping done.  I waited until last night to do my shopping and it was BRUTAL.  On 3 separate occasions I heard mothers screaming at their children saying “Santa is watching and he’s not going to bring you any presents if you act like this.”

I’m not a parent, so I found the fact that the children immediately showed improved behavior fascinating!  That threat of “Santa watching” is powerful!  I also recently learn about the Elf on the Shelf who is apparently Santa’s secret spy/tattletale.  This little elf heads back to the North Pole every night to tell Santa whether you’ve been naughty or nice.  But the problem is, Santa’s “Big Brother” power only really works from about November until Christmas.  How do these parents keep their kids in line all year round when the imminent threat of Santa has worn off?

Let’s be honest- the same issue is true for adults. What happens when no one is watching? If you’ve caught the 2 latest unfortunate videos about package deliveries, then the answer is “nothing good.”   It’s as if the cloak of anonymity and lack of accountability erases our good decision making skills.   When a FedEx delivery driver thought no one was watching, he decided to toss a flat screen TV over a security fence instead of ringing the bell to deliver the package appropriately.  When the security camera caught the shocking behavior, the video went viral and provided unfortunate PR for Fedex (despite the fact that this was the action of only 1 employee).

So, would this employee have made this same mistake if he’d known someone was watching?  We hope not….but then there’s this:

Only 1 week after the now infamous FedEx video, this UPS driver boldly looks square at the camera, gives a one finger salute and then tosses the package at the porch.  Maybe it doesn’t matter if anyone is watching.  This guy definitely made it on Santa’s naughty list.

I’d love to say that these are isolated incidences, but if you search for UPS or FedEx on YouTube you will find an abundance of additional similar videos.  So, what is the real source of the problem?  Are they hiring irresponsible workers?  Are their employees disgruntled?  What is going on here?

Let’s be honest, being a delivery driver during the holidays can’t be fun.  Everyone wants their packages faster than is often possible.  Last night, I saw a UPS driver walking down a super long driveway after 8pm to deliver a package.  I am guessing he worked much longer than an 8 hour day and was exhausted, but he was still working.  Additionally, some package delivery companies pay their employees based on the total number of items delivered in 1 day.  So if you’ve ever wondered why your delivery driver is so quick to leave a “You missed your delivery” note on the door, it’s because every second they spend at your door is taking potential money out of their pocket.  I also assume that’s why my local delivery driver has perfected a bowling ball style delivery of my packages.

Perhaps the problem isn’t the quality of the worker, but the unintended side effects of a pay-for-performance system.  While both FedEx and UPS would rather not be in this PR nightmare, I think it provides a wonderful opportunity for management to do some deep problem solving.  What is the real problem?  Are we listening to the frustration expressed by our front-line employees?  Have we examined the total cost of these unethical practices vs. the value of additional training or modified selection process?   Should we re-assess our compensation/bonus packages?

What do you think is the real problem here?

Do you have similar issues in your organization?  What do you think happens when no one is watching your employees?