SMG Jahrbuch 2017/18

On a daily basis your 5000 employees
deliver more than 200 000 lunchboxes
at private homes, with an error rate
of 1 : 16 million – and with use of zero
technology ! How do you hire, train and
lead your employees ?
The new Dabbawala employees come
from the villages near the city of Pune which
is around 3 hours from Mumbai.
The new Dabbawala should be 18 + years
of age, male, should be able to speak
Hindi language, should know how to ride a
bicycle, should be able to carry a load of
50 to 60 kg, and willing to settle in the city
of Mumbai. The new Dabbawala should
be able to connect with the customers in a
gentle and trustworthy manner, and respect
the customer.
The new employees are attached with
the older employees for 6 months and are
trained on the job with respect to the collection
routes, railway train timetables, delivery
routes, roads … the entire area and system
should be learnt by rote or memorized by
the new Dabbawala.
The new Dabbawala are made working
partners in the Dabbawala system and earn
around Indian Rs 9000 to Rs 10 000 ( CHF
135.– to 150.– ) per month.
Just as the cricket team Member selection
depends up on the ability of the player
to do proper batting, bowling, fielding etc.
… similarly the new Dabbawala should
be an all-rounder and should be able to
per form all the duties expected to be cartied
out on the job.
The system works on teamwork and
coordination between all the Dabbawalas.
What are your requirements with
regards to loyalty of your staff ? How
did you achieve to have a no strike
record ?
Up to the 1980’s we were organized in
a system where there was a supervisor
and 10 – 15 employees under him. After the
textile mill strike in 1984 of around 64 mills
in Mumbai, the Dabbawalas initiatied the
process to review the situation internally
and decided that all the Dabbawalas would
be partners rather than employees.
So as a result of this, before any strike
could take place within the Dabbawala
system, we pre-empted any such situation
by doing away with the employee system
and turning into a PARTNER system. The
reason for no strikes is that the Dabba walas
are all partners in the work sys tem and
work as a team. Teamwork is the secret of
their success. Employees go on strikes ...
partners do not go on strikes.
How is your company culture defined ?
The company culture of Dabbawalas
is defined by the motto « work is worship ».
The Dabbawalas are self disciplined,
dedicated, duty conscious, and work
together as a team. They have faith in God.
42 SMG Jahrbuch 2017 / 18 // Geschichtern