To talk about success and social responsibility in business, in the same breath, is not just necessary, but also quite possible, provided the people at the top are convinced of the need for an ethically run organization. In the last few decades, there has been an increased need for taking cognizance of human rights issues that might arise in a business context. From providing a conducive work atmosphere to ensuring a complete absence of racist, sexist, or other negative attitudes, corporate life has had to transform itself. Merely wearing a human face is no longer considered adequate. It has now become essential to translate this into action, whereby sensitization to all these issues becomes the cornerstone for all business practices.
Human rights refer to the fundamental rights of every human being, irrespective of race, sex, religion, political affiliation, social standing, or any other feature. Most governments today have in place various laws and statutes that protect the rights of individuals and ensure that human rights issues do not take a backseat in a corporate structure. Therefore, in a scenario like this, corporate responsibility can increase only when there is a heightened awareness of human rights issues.
It is essential here to highlight the perspective adopted in this essay. Ensuring the protection of human rights within an organization becomes essential if one needs to avoid major contentious issues (that could destabilize an entire business) at a later date. Providing safety measures, equitable remuneration, and other work benefits need to be part of any corporate policy.
Over the last few decades, there have been many instances of workforces rebelling against corporate tyranny, not just on the subject of wages, but also on the subject of better working conditions. This is a human rights issue that violates the very premise that the basic needs of a worker have to be ensured at all costs. For instance, for those working in mines and other hazardous locations (such as construction sites), management must place worker safety at the same level as company profits.
The Hawthorne studies done by the Australian-American social anthropologist Elton Mayo highlighted the fact that increased remuneration was not the only way of increasing productivity. He stressed the importance of management taking sufficient care to maintain human rights and dignity at all costs, by providing good working conditions. He thought that the right work ambiance was the only workable solution to increased productivity in an organization (Mayo, 1933). This was a divergent view from that of F.W. Taylor whose ‘Taylorism’ (also known as scientific management) focused on increasing financial remuneration to increase and sustain productivity (Taylor, 1911).
Notwithstanding the opinion of these two social scientists, it is important to take note of the fact that in today’s corporate world, human rights issues have gone far beyond providing the right work ambiance. Managers are quick to recognize racist and gender issues and are even quicker at tackling problems that might arise on these bases. It is no longer possible to brush these under the carpet. Just as it is important to ensure that waste management is done in such a way that the environment is not polluted, it is equally important to ensure that no human rights violations take place in an organization based on caste, creed, sex, or color.
It would be relevant to point out the benefits of an ‘organic’ form of organization as advocated by Burns and Stalker. With its multidirectional communications, its recognition of the ideas and knowledge of individuals, its emphasis on less formal controls, and its ethos of listening and advising rather than rigid order structures, is the preferred and more efficient system, that advocates the right blend of business practices and human rights (Burns & Stalker, 1961).
References
Burns, T. and Stalker, G. The Management of Innovation. Tavistock. 1961.
Mayo, Elton. The Human Problem of an Industrial Civilisation. Macmillan. 1933.
Taylor, F.W. The Principles of Scientific Management Harper. 1911.