Tipping: Who deserves a holiday bonus?

Your shopping list this holiday season probably includes gift ideas for the usual suspects – family, friends and maybe a few co-workers. But have you considered giving a gift or holiday tip to your regular service providers, like your hairstylist or newspaper delivery driver?

Tipping has become increasingly commonplace these days, with tip jars popping up in unexpected locations. As a result, the holiday season poses a new question for regular clients of service-industry providers: to tip or not to tip?

According to Leonard Green, a psychology professor who studies tipping behavior at Washington University in St. Louis, the pressure to tip increases during the holiday season, and many service providers now see tipping as an entitlement no longer based on quality of service.

So, who deserves a holiday bonus, and who doesn’t?

“I think the decision often comes down to how much control the person really has over your life,” Green says. “If someone, like a building superintendent, provides essential services, then a person might think that a nice tip helps ensure that the service will be there the next time you need it.”

In fact, many people believe offering a holiday tip promises good service in the future. However, Green cautions that this is not always the case, but a generous tip could certainly prevent a decline in service in the upcoming year.

Additionally, if you have established a friendly relationship with a service provider or if they’ve provided excellent service throughout the year, consider tipping as a token of generosity. After all, a good hairstylist can be hard to find.

Finally, if tipping your regular service providers just doesn’t fit in your holiday budget, consider less-expensive gestures, like offering baked goods, to show your gratitude. Remember, it is the season of giving, so show your appreciation when you can.