Analyzing Human Resource Problems at Uber: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the human resource issues faced by Uber, particularly concerning their drivers. It identifies key problems such as breaches of employee contracts, lack of employee benefits, and the absence of job security. The report critically evaluates these issues using established human resource theories and models, including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory. The analysis highlights how Uber's practices, such as classifying drivers as partners rather than employees, contribute to low morale and potential legal challenges. The report concludes by offering several recommendations, including treating drivers as employees, providing employee benefits and welfare schemes, implementing transparent termination policies, and addressing the drivers' employment status to enhance engagement and motivation. The effective implementation of these suggestions is expected to improve Uber's human resource management and foster a more positive relationship with its drivers.

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Executive summary
The aim of this report is to discuss about the issues related to human resources being faced by
Uber in the recent years. Various theories and models are being used in order to critically
evaluate the issues. Various recommendations are also being provided according to the identified
issues. This report concluded that effective management of the issues along with the
implementation of the recommended steps would help Uber to resolve their issues along with
enhancing the level of motivation of the employees.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Issues of human resources in Uber..................................................................................................3
Identification of the issues...............................................................................................................4
Breach to the employee contract..................................................................................................4
Lack of employee benefits...........................................................................................................5
Lack of job security.....................................................................................................................5
Recommendations............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference.........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Management of the human resources in the contemporary business organizations is
important due to the reason that the distinctive skills sets and the expertise that the employees
possess is beneficial and required for the organizations to gain competitive advantages in the
market (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). Moreover, effective management of the human resources is
important in order to enhance and maintain the level of motivation of the employees. This is due
to the fact that, the more motivated and engaged will be the employees, the more will be their
involvement in the organization, which will in turn increase the rate of effectiveness of the
organization.
Uber is one of the most prominent cab aggregators in the world with having their market
presence in all the major cities around the world. However, in the recent time, they are drawing
flak due to their ineffective management of the human resources (Yoo, 2017). Their treatment
and handling the issues with their drivers have also attracted various lawsuits against them. This
report will discuss about the issues related to human resources being faced by Uber. Moreover,
the issues will be critically evaluated in relation to different theories of human resources.
Recommendations will also be discussed according to the identified issues.
Issues of human resources in Uber
As being reported by Yoo (2017), in the recent time Uber is facing issues related to their
management of the human resources. The issues are being generated from their management of
their drivers. For the business policy of Uber, drivers hold the key part of their operation.
However, ill treatment with the drivers along with not meeting their basic requirement is creating

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issues. According to the article, several drivers are of the opinions that deactivation of them from
service is unjustified. Thus, they are filing lawsuits against the organization. The dealing
procedures of Uber with their drivers are the origin of the issues. In this case, Uber is actually
facing the ethical dilemma in adhering with their customer security and managing the human
resources. This is due to the reason that, in this article it is being stated that the justification being
given by Uber in deactivating the accounts of the drivers is related to their customer security.
According to Uber, if the driver is being found that he has indulged in fighting with the riders or
caused any harm are being deactivated from the system. Thus, in the recent years, Uber is facing
these issues related to their management of the human resources.
Identification of the issues
Breach to the employee contract
Several issues related to the human resources are being identified from the above
discussed article. One of the key issues being identified is deactivating the drivers without any
prior notice. According to the lawsuit being filed by them, Uber is not communicating well
enough with their drivers before deactivating their access from the system. This is a breach to the
effective management of the employees (Jafri, 2012). Moreover, this is creating an unfair and
unjustified impression among the employees. According to the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the
basic needs or the physiological needs are food, water and shelter that is mandatory for the
human beings (Lester, 2013). According to Maslow, if the physiological need cannot be
effectively met, then the higher needs will not be met. However, in the case of Uber, the basic
needs of the employees are not being effectively met. This is due to the reason that, the source of

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income of the drivers is being stopped if they are being deactivated from the system. Thus, Uber
is not effectively meeting the need theory of Maslow in managing their employees.
Lack of employee benefits
The second issue that is being identified is not treating the drivers as the employees.
According to the organizational strategy of Uber, drivers are being considered as partners rather
than employees. This is having two benefits for Uber. One is the positive impression of terming
and considering the drivers as their partners rather than just employees. This creates goodwill
and reputation of the organization. On the other hand, another benefit for Uber is non-adhering
with the regulations related to the employee welfare and benefits (Spiro & Yuchtman-Yaar,
2013). Due to not considering the drivers as their employees, Uber is not bound to follow the
regulations regarding employee benefits and welfare. However, this is also creating negative
impression among the drivers. They are being deprived from the employees’ welfare and
benefits.
According to the esteem need of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need, appreciation and
recognition of the employees in their organization is required to keep them motivate and engaged
in their workplace (Menguc et al., 2013). However, in this case, as the drivers are not being
treated and considered even as the employees, thus the appreciation and recognition are not
being provided to them. This in turn lowers the morale and level of motivation of the employees.
Thus, the productivity of the drivers in Uber will also reduce and this will have negative impact
on the providence of effective customer service.

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Lack of job security
Another key issue that is being identified from the article is the absence of the job
security of the drivers. This is due to the reason that, deactivating the access of the drivers from
the system without giving any prior notice is portraying the image of not having any job security
for the employees (Hijzen, Mondauto & Scarpetta, 2013). This will also act as a demoralizing
factor for the employees. According to the motivation Hygiene theory being stated by Herzberg,
there are some factors known as hygiene factors such as the job security (Latham, 2012).
According to him, not fulfilling the hygiene factors by the organizations will create negative
impact on the employees along with reducing the level of motivation of them. Thus, in the case
of Uber, lack of job security for their drivers is acting as demoralizing factor the employees.
Moreover, the lack of providing the employee benefits along with lack of recognition and other
amenities by Uber is also reducing the positive job attitude of the drivers.
Recommendations
 Uber should consider their drivers as their employees rather than their partners. It will
help the drivers to feel more involved in the organization. They will be able to consider
themselves as a part of the brand. Thus, it will increase their engagement and
involvement in the organization, which will in turn enhance their level of motivation and
productivity (Caillier, 2013). Providence of the employee benefits and welfare schemes
will help the organization in enhancing the level of motivation in their workplace. Thus,
the more motivated drivers of Uber will help them in providing the effective customer
service.
 Uber should have a transparent and fair policy of terminating any employees. The policy
statement should be well communicated to all the stakeholders in the organization. It will

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help the employees in having the awareness about the clause and regulations of the
termination policy (Demarzo & Sannikov, 2016). This will refrain them in indulging in
any unethical incidents. Moreover, in case of termination of a particular employee, Uber
should effectively communicate with the employee about stating the reason of
termination. The employee should also be given the chance of defense. This will help to
create the transparency in the whole process of termination.
 The status of employability with the drivers of Uber should be checked due to the reason
that the existing system of Uber has contractual relationship with their drivers. However,
contractual employability will not motivate the drivers due to the reason that they will not
feel engaged and involved in the organization (Bakker & Derks, 2012). On the other
hand, if they can be given the permanent status along with initiation of incentives based
on performance, then the productivity and the level of motivation of the drivers will be
increased (Lazaroiu, 2015). They will treat themselves as a part of the organization and
the average level of motivation and job engagement will get increased.
Conclusion
Thus, from the above evaluation of the article stating the issues being faced by Uber, it is
being seen that they are facing issues in managing their human resources. The existing policy of
dealing with their drivers is proving ineffective and inefficient. Moreover, they are being
deprived from the basic employee benefits, as they are not being considered as the employees of
Uber. Thus, the level of motivation of them is rapidly reducing which is affecting the customer
service. It is also been seen in the article that other factors such as lack of job security is another
reason for the low morale of the drivers of Uber. All these issues are creating trouble for the
organization and attracting several lawsuits from the employees. Thus, a few recommendations

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are being discussed in this report. It is being expected that, effective implementation of these
recommendations will help to reduce the issues related to human resources for Uber.

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Reference
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Bakker, A. B., Tims, M., & Derks, D. (2012). Proactive personality and job performance: The
role of job crafting and work engagement. Human relations, 65(10), 1359-1378.
Caillier, J. G. (2013). Satisfaction with work-life benefits and organizational commitment/job
involvement: Is there a connection?. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 33(4),
340-364.
Demarzo, P. M., & Sannikov, Y. (2016). Learning, termination, and payout policy in dynamic
incentive contracts. The Review of Economic Studies, 84(1), 182-236.
Hijzen, A., Mondauto, L., & Scarpetta, S. (2013). The perverse effects of job-security provisions
on job security in Italy: results from a regression discontinuity design.
Jafri, M. H. (2012). Influence of psychological contract breach on organizational citizenship
behaviour and trust. Psychological Studies, 57(1), 29-36.
Latham, G. P. (2012). Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice. Sage.
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Investigations, 14, 97.
Lester, D. (2013). Measuring Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Psychological Reports, 113(1), 15-
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Menguc, B., Auh, S., Fisher, M., & Haddad, A. (2013). To be engaged or not to be engaged: The
antecedents and consequences of service employee engagement. Journal of business
research, 66(11), 2163-2170.
Spiro, S. E., & Yuchtman-Yaar, E. (Eds.). (2013). Evaluating the welfare state: Social and
political perspectives. Elsevier.
Yoo, T. (2017). Uber Australia is settling unfair dismissal cases, despite insisting drivers are not
employees. Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2017, from
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/uber-australia-is-settling-unfair-dismissal-cases-
despite-insisting-drivers-are-not-employees-2017-6