Case Analysis: Employee Engagement at Shivani Carriers Pvt Ltd

The Challenge: Shivani Carriers Pvt Ltd. (SCPL), a Full Truck Load services company in India, was struggling with a productivity crisis that threatened their growth strategy. Management implemented a Driver Management System (DMS) with distance-based incentives to address inconsistent performance (some drivers driving at 5,500km vs. others driving 7,000km monthly averages). However, when drivers met targets, management retroactively added fuel requirements and capped bonuses - causing performance to revert back to pre-incentive levels. Driver morale plummeted, jeopardizing the company's expansion plans and risking increased turnover costs.

My Approach: My team and I identified a fundamental misalignment between the incentive structure and driver motivation. Using Expectancy Theory as our analytical framework, we evaluated three critical factors that drive employee performance: effort-to-performance expectancy, performance-to-outcome expectancy, and outcome valuation.

Our analysis uncovered that SCPL's system failed on two fronts: drivers no longer trusted that their effort would be rewarded (broken promises eroded credibility), and the incentives offered didn't align with what drivers actually valued. Through case evidence, we discovered drivers prioritized time off over marginal financial gains.

We recommended a restructured incentive program that: (1) restored trust by setting achievable, transparent goals without moving goalposts, (2) offered valued rewards like additional leave days rather than solely monetary bonuses, and (3) stayed within the company's operational budget. This approach would satisfy all three expectancy theory requirements, restoring driver motivation while enabling SCPL to achieve their growth objectives.

Impact: As lead author on this team project, I developed the theoretical framework and drafted the analysis, while my teammates refined the work through editing and voice consistency. Our collaborative effort earned 100/100 and was selected by the professor as the exemplar for the entire class, demonstrating best practices in organizational behavior analysis and strategic problem-solving.