CORPORATE CRUELTY- ARE YOU GUILTY OF IT? WHAT IS THE MISSING INGREDIENT?

CORPORATE CRUELTY- ARE YOU GUILTY OF IT? WHAT IS THE MISSING INGREDIENT?

No one ever creates a company with intent and design to ill treat his employees. May be some, in their most fallen state of mind, would have such a design. But while such a motive might be farfetched, the practice of some organizations reveals at the heart of it, corporate cruelty. Local government workers in Zambia found themselves working for three or more months without pay , under the leadership of President FJT Chiluba. They went on strike, but alas much to their on dismay, they were still not paid on a monthly basis. You have heard of Small and Medium Enterprises that have gone for more than two or more months without the employees getting paid while the directors stuff their lives with the most luxurious vehicles on the market! Recently, I heard of a small company that had a good contract with a large corporation. But alas, its employees went for months without pay! This cruelty is easier to identify.

However, large corporations [with all their ability to pay] can become cruel. The cruelty stems from the staff hired in management positions. In article on Corporate cruelty, one Chris J Walker wrote ,’’ Wrong people in wrong jobs causes domestic breakdowns, social violence, office politics and personal health breakdown’’. When corporations set out recruit new staff, they look out for the best, be it at the highest or lower level of the organizations hierarchy. No organization sets out to hire cruel employees. In fact, the interview questions reveal a quest to hire good people. The discussions in an interview room that lead to final selection are enriched with noble motives. The reality is that your best hire might sometimes turn out to be the cruelest employee. Your best manager might turn out to be a cruel leader.

Managers have huge influence on the image of a corporation. By and large, the culture of an organization revolves around the philosophies of its management. If an organization is termed to be uncaring, it is because its top management has embraced philosophies that portray an image of not being concerned much with employee welfare. In fact, whatever corporate managers pay a blind eye to, becomes grafted into the organization’s image. Well, you might ask, what really qualifies an organization to be termed cruel?

Firstly, harsh working environment. It is a well known fact that employees spend most of their time at place of work. A harsh working environment constitutes the following:

(a) Abnormal working hours. The human body has a limit and needs rest. But some corporate leaders just don’t fancy an employee resting. Somehow, in their subconscious they seem to classify employees as machines and not people. How else can one explain a dismissal of an employee who fails to turn up for work on the third day after having spent 48 hours at work , without rest, repairing machinery in order to put a plant back on the production line? Fired! Why? Because the 40 hours were considered as over-time and so the third day was his supposed to be normal duty!

(b) Abusive language and shouting. I heard of a manager who could hardly issue instructions without using bad language. He was a bully boss. Whenever, he opened his mouth, there was always an avalanche of unpleasant words. He demeaned his subordinates to the point that they felt they were less human beings! Some leaders just can’t talk in a friendly tone. Somehow, they believe that shouting on top of their voices and bullying their way through will get them results. Virtually, they treat employees like slaves and not people. When a corporation has a tendency to hire such leaders, it only reflects what kind of philosophies top management has embraced. As the saying goes, birds of the same feathers flock together. If they only hire those that will ‘’kick’’ employees to get things done, then they like it that way!

(c) Absence of safety attire. The safety of men is important. In a coal Mine in Zambia, it was discovered that Miners were working in sandals instead of safety boots. At a Chinese owned Mine, an explosion occurred that led to loss of lives because the safety of men was not on that corporations top priority list. Expecting employees to be productive without providing a safe environment is definitely cruel.

Secondly, when there is corporate greed! That’s it, corporate greed! When leaders in a corporation focus on large earnings for themselves and maximize profits by paying lower wages to the general workforce, there is certainly an element of greed. While it is a fact that there are no shops purely for the poor, they imagine that their employees are living far beyond their means when they hear them complain about pay. In a further, quest to maximize profits, some organizations refuse to pay overtime to employees even when they have worked long hours. The story of Pharaoh and the Israelites is a good historical reference. Recall how the Israelites were treated by Pharaoh-‘ You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.’ Exodus 5:7-8. Others flout statutory regulations relating to pay, with impunity. Strange enough, many in leadership completely forget what they were before they got their promotion.

In an era of much emphasis on corporate governance, ethical conduct must be the bread and butter of corporate leaders. Cruel leadership negates any efforts towards good corporate gonernance.