DoorDash dealing with internal strife after all-employee delivery mandate and backlash

Yahoo Finance Video

December 31, 2021 at 3:09 PM

Yahoo Finance's Dani Romero details the employee backlash DoorDash is receiving for its WeDash initiative to have all employees — including engineers and executives — deliver meals for the company.

Video Transcript

JARED BLIKRE: Starting in just a few days, all DoorDash employees, including workers at all levels-- including the CEO-- will be required to deliver at least one order each month as part of the company's We Dash program that was created back when the company was founded in 2013. And joining us more-- for more on this on Yahoo Finance is Yahoo Finance's Dani Romero on how some DoorDash employees are receiving this. And Dani, I guess even the CEO is kind of competing with these employees for some of their business now.

DANI ROMERO: Well, Jared, let's just say it's been a little bit of a mixed reaction from DoorDash delivery drivers, as well as these corporate employees. And like you said, this is a mandatory initiative that requires all employees to deliver at least one order once a month. And for those that are unable to participate, they can work in a chat support for customers or with merchants instead.

And the whole goal of this program is to allow employees to really get a firsthand experience of working with its customers, also understanding its operations. However, some corporate employees, including a well-paid engineer, have fired back and expressed their frustration about this reinstated program through an online, anonymous social media platform called Blind.

One employee wrote, "I didn't sign up for this. There was nothing in the offer letter/job description about this." And his post created over 800 comments, and some of those comments included employees siding with the company's value to reinstate the program. Now, despite all the criticism, DoorDash will continue its plan to bring back this program.

They sent us this statement that reads, in part, "The sentiment of the employee on Blind is not a reflection of the employee base at large. This is a valued program we've had since the company's inception." And on the flip side, I spoke with some DoorDash delivery drivers who also had a lot of mixed reaction about this. Take a listen.

VERONICA BARNES: It is a good idea. And let them do it for free. Cut their salary back. Matter of fact, cut their salary back and have them go out there and do those orders for free, because that's exactly where we're at.

DANI ROMERO: Meanwhile, other DoorDash delivery drivers say that delivering one order really doesn't give these employees that full experience. Take a listen.

SAMEER SHARMA: So they might be lucky and get that one order that'll be OK. But what about the other orders that we have to struggle on on a daily basis? Where we have to wait nearly half an hour, 45 minutes at a restaurant. We call customer service for help, we don't get any extra for waiting. We try to get a hold of the customer who lives in an apartment, but doesn't answer the door, or doesn't answer the phone so we can get the code to get in. With one order, they're not going to feel the pain that we feel on a daily basis.

DANI ROMERO: And you can hear it right there from that DoorDash delivery driver, who really believes delivering that one order will not give these employees that full experience. Jared, Karina.

KARINA CONTRERAS: And Dani, so many businesses in the service sector are dealing with dire labor shortages. What are you hearing from workers about any leverage they now have to sort of seek better pay?

DANI ROMERO: Yeah, Karina, you're absolutely right. You know, the service industry is really under a lot of pressure and facing these labor shortages. And the pandemic really didn't help, especially for these gig workers who've had to make deliveries in unsafe weather conditions.

But many gig economies, especially delivery service ones, workers have little to no power to really negotiate on their pay. And some delivery drivers I spoke with also have fired back on how customers have really become accustomed to instant gratification because of technology, which has really hindered their work environment. Take a listen.

VERONICA BARNES: America is becoming real lazy. Like, I'm not understanding it. But I can't be a slave to the system. I can't afford it.

DANI ROMERO: You know, this highlights some of the pressure that these workers are really under. But I will say this. Some California DoorDash delivery drivers have protested actually in front of DoorDash's CEO's home in San Francisco, demanding for higher pay as well as tip transparency. But according to DoorDash, base pay is calculated based on estimated time, distance, and desirability of an order. Jared, Karina.

JARED BLIKRE: Yeah, we thank you for that report.

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