In the post, Tanya shared that her host at Google had arranged a cab for her pickup and drop and that she had told the driver, Sharath, that she would be done by 11:30 am. However, she ended up staying longer at the office after attending a masterclass and having lunch with her host.
His response surprised her. “Madam, thank you for taking more time. When she eventually returned to the cab after 12:30 pm, she apologised to Sharath for keeping him waiting.
I love coming to Google,” the driver told her.
When Tanya asked why, Sharath explained that cab drivers have basement parking at the Google office and are offered tea, coffee and snacks, along with three buffet meals. “The food is very good. I had breakfast here only. “They tell us, don’t waste food. Take only as much as you can eat. “But Google is the best. Here we feel like guests,” he added. “When I walk into the plush, air-conditioned office of any organisation, it is easy for me to notice the finer things. The beautiful spaces. The generous spread. The thoughtful details. But the true measure of an organisation’s culture is what someone experiences in its basement parking lot,” she wrote. “I think culture isn’t just what you put on the walls. It’s experienced in how you treat the people who may never walk through your office doors,” she concluded. (Also Read: ‘People are being scammed’: Founder sparks debate over Bengaluru’s coconut water prices ) The post resonated with many online. Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “This is such a powerful reminder that culture is felt far beyond the people who are officially part of an organisation. The smallest interactions often reveal the biggest values. “Culture isn’t the same thing as etiquette. A team can follow every rule of professional decorum – the right greetings, the right tone in emails, the right conduct in meetings – and still lack a genuine culture. Real organizational culture is built on humility, empathy, and balance, not on polish or performance. It’s less about how people appear and more about how they actually treat each other when no one’s watching. There are many companies who do this too,” commented another. “Loved reading this, Tanya. Nothing showcases a brand’s culture more than how they treat anyone interacting with their brand in any way, whether they’re internal employees or associates. Sadly, most brands do not realise the importance of this, and it’s lovely to read about one that does,” wrote a third user.
Because of you,” Sharath said. (Also Read: Bengaluru techie says buying a home brought what renting never could: ‘It was not my journey alone’ ) According to the post, the driver also highlighted Google’s approach to food, and I got time for early lunch also.
He said that drivers are told not to waste food and to take only as much as they can eat, but they can return for more as many times as they want. But you can go back and take more food, as many times as you want,” the driver told Tanya. Sharath also told her that some companies provide drivers with a meal allowance to buy food outside. Tanya said that the driver’s comment made her reflect on how workplace culture is experienced by people who may not even be employees of an organisation. How a company treats the people who don’t “need” to be impressed says a lot about what it truly stands for.
