Human Rights, Capitalism & Workplace: Are we Equal Citizens?
NAMAN SINGHA
“It is the duty of every citizen to protect the rights of others”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
It all begins with the term “Capitalism”. The highly competitive economic system in which citizens earn to make profit. Capitalism is the cornerstone of modern economies which sets the stage for a dynamic interplay of supply and demand where citizens engage towards making profit.This means that every citizen in the country should have an earning job in order to be able to live a decent life. The 18th century Philosopher & the father of modern economics, Adam Smith, stated: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.”
Before I begin writing, I would like to state that human rights are the most basic, fundamental and essential rights that belong to every citizen.If you’re a citizen, you naturally have human rights which consist of basic principles including dignity, fairness, respect and equality. However, unfortunately, human rights have drastically taken a back seat when it comes to maximising profit. According to the author of a paper in the Alberta Human Rights & Citizenship Commission, “employees generally have optimistic expectations when they enter the workforce. Regardless of levels of experience, employees want to be treated with respect and dignity. They want to feel valued and productive while at work”
With capitalism, who exactly is profiting? Certainly NOT the workers. According to the latest report by the International Labour Organization, millions of workers around the world reside in countries where no minimum wage exists and where labour standards are completely invisible and neglected. 20% of the world’s cotton is produced in Xinjiang province of China, workers are forced into slave labour-like conditions and often are given little to no pay. In order to maximise shareholder profit and keep costs low, various clothing brands have long ignored accusations of forced child labour violations in the Cotton industry in China.
This doesn’t just exist in informal sectors, it also exists in so-called formal sectors where the sole person benefiting from capitalism is the business owner. In the formal sector, very rarely will you come across organisations which treat their employees in a fair, just and equal manner.
Have you interviewed at places, and been promised fair policies & fixed working hours? The next time you do that, think twice, ask questions & take a look back. In various cases, the employer doesn’t just forget but also ignores and neglects all the fair policies when it comes to urgent, immediate deliverables. This often universalises and leads to negative work principles including:
● Poor Management/Leadership Skills: In the UK workforce, although one out of every four individuals occupies a management position, just 27% of employees consider their manager to be ‘highly effective’. This has resulted in a massive number of employee’s likelihood to leave their jobs, dissatisfaction with their pay and poor motivation in their existing role.
Accidental Managers: The report clearly states that 82% of the managers enter the workforce without any adequate leadership/management training. Many of the untrained managers are promoted into the workforce just because they are good at their work, they are well known or are just available to take responsibility. This is the basic foundational management failure which results in serious wrongdoing, mismanagement and toxic work cultures.
● Lack of Mentors: “A good boss encourages and praises. A toxic boss demoralises and belittles”.
We tend to work with our bosses and look up to them in the hope that we learn something substantial from them. However, in most cases – that isn’t the case. Micromanagement, punitive approach, disruptive behavior, setting unreasonable expectations, lack of accountability and lastly, never supporting your progression are some of the signs of a poor leader/mentor.
1. Micromanagement: According to a recent survey, 71% of employees stated that micromanagement has obstructed their performance. 69% of them stated that they considered leaving a role because of a micromanaging boss. Needing every tiny detail of what you do to sign off, Being required to give constant updates on your work, Having your timesheet watched too closely, Being given overcomplicated instructions because of their obsession with details, Being pulled up on the tiniest of mistakes and Finding that tasks are not delegated to you or other team members as the manager wants complete control are some of the major characteristics of a micromanaging boss.
2. Punitive approach: “Everybody makes mistakes at work – we’re only humans after all”
Of course, major mistakes that require disciplinary action should be dealt with accordingly. A punitive approach to minor mistakes, though, could be another sign of toxicity in a manager.
3. Disruptive approach: For a team to succeed in its goals, its members need to work together. If a boss is chaotic, inconsistent and disruptive, reaching goals becomes much more of a challenge. It is fundamentally important for the boss to work with the team towards a productive team.
4. Unreasonable Expectations: Any good leader will want to get the most out of their direct reports, encouraging them to be as productive as possible, and to complete work to the highest possible standard. But are the expectations that your boss is setting actually reasonable?
Setting impossible deadlines, Require work to be completed to an impossibly high standard, Asking you to work overtime or weekends on a regular basis and assigning extreme workloads – are just some of the many ways which reduces productivity!
5. Lack of Support: Sometimes it’s clear when a toxic boss isn’t supporting your development and progression. They fail to ask you about your career goals and don’t challenge you to learn new things. They never give constructive feedback, and offer no career coaching or training opportunities. Sometimes, they’ll hinder your development in ways you don’t see. They’ll fail to put you forward for a raise or promotion, instead of advocating for these things to happen. As a result, you’ll find yourself stuck in a rut…unless things change. Well, let’s take a step back and ask ourselves, what’s the point at all – if we’re not growing at all? And working unreasonably extra hours?
● Lack of a Comprehensive Structure: Well-established & large organisations require a comprehensive and organised structure to ensure productivity and avoid chaos. Smaller businesses, on the other hand, rarely think of creating an organizational structure in the first place. The lack of structure leads to miscommunication, work delays, poor structure flows and low morale that hinder productivity.
● Long Working Hours: In paper, work timings might be from 9-5PM, in reality, however, there is no comprehensive concept of ‘work-timings’. There is often no definition of ‘fixed timings’ – the employee has to learn how to maintain boundaries or in most cases, adapt to the work timings.
● Poor Work/Life Balance: The major reasons for an employee to leave his/her job are lack of career growth/development, health or family issues and an extremely poor work/life balance. A work/ life balance creates increased productivity, and therefore, it is absolutely essential to have a balance.
● No Extra Benefits: When working extra hours, ideally – the employee should get benefits including a complimentary off, bonus payment and leaves. When working extra hours, the employee should ideally be compensated with the same amount of leaves. However, this doesn’t happen in most organizations.
Well, let’s talk about what exactly is an ideal work-life balance? I think it’s pretty obvious – An ideal work-life balance involves setting clear boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal time. Working long hours can hinder this balance, negatively impacting health, raising stress levels, and reducing leisure time.
From Clear communication, Setting Clear Boundaries, Supportive Policies, Leading by example, Flexible Work Schedule, Time Management, Adequate Benefits to Productivity – these are the few factors which will help strengthen work-life balance. By implementing these strategies, organizations can foster an environment that significantly promotes a healthy work-life balance. This holistic approach benefits employees by enhancing their well-being and reducing stress, which in turn boosts overall productivity and job satisfaction.
Let us all take a step back, and ask: “Are we Equal, Fair and Just Citizens?” Or are we living in a divide between the master and the slave, superior and the inferior and just the higher and the lower.