As companies continue to expand internationally, many corporations like Nike are investing in global workforces to remain competitive. Nike uses factories in different countries to manufacture its shoes at a low cost. These factories are usually operated under lenient regulations and labor rules. Thus, controversy surrounding Nike’s sweat shops show that employees are forced to work long hours of labor in inhumane work conditions. Many of the workers at Nike’s international factories are poverty-stricken and have minimum educational background. Thus, they are usually treated unfairly, and they face harassment and violent threats in the workplace. Ultimately, Nike’s sweat shops have been deemed as cruel and inhumane, which is the primary reason that the company should implement new methods to help improve its production process, boost employee morale and maintain a more functional and effective work environment.
The shoe factories require international workers to labor excessively long hours with low wages. Thus, this keeps the workers in poverty, and they are unable to meet the basic survival needs that are essential to taking care of their families. This ultimately reduces their chances of having an equal and decent income, which only stabilizes their economic condition. These sweatshop workers are usually at the bottom of the socio-economic hierarchy in their country. According to Wazir (2001), noted that Nike employees working at factories in Vietnam were exposed to toxic fumes that were up to 177 times the Vietnamese legal limit. Thus, this shows the level of harsh and unfair treatment that many global workers receive at Nike’s sweat shops. The sweat shops perpetuate the ideal of cheap labor under unhealthy work conditions, and they are being compared to slavery by many labor unions.
Moreover, Nike managers at the international factories have used harsh and unnecessary treatment towards workers. Due to the low wages that the worker receive, managers feel it is okay to verbally abuse and threaten workers. Thus, employees are constantly treated with disrespect, which further shows the inhumane conditions of Nike’s sweat shops. Managers force employees that work long hours for minimum pay and health benefits, which only reduces their quality of living, making it stressful and difficult for them to adequately support their families. Also, due to the minimum age requirement, many children and minors are also subjected to poor working conditions in these sweat shops. Thus, these harsh work conditions only exploit impoverished workers, and continue to keep them at the bottom of the work class hierarchy.
In an effort to keep production costs down, many executives turn to alternate manufacturing routes to accomplish this goal. Thus, sweat shops in poverty-stricken countries allows Nike executives and leaders to maintain low production costs by outsourcing work to international workers for low wages. Also, critics assert that Nike’s executives compromise human rights to maximize profits by allowing children and adult workers to work under poor working conditions. Not only does Nike benefit from low production costs in international markets such as Asia, they are also able to take advantage of the American economy by selling the shoes at high prices to consumers. Stockholders and managers receive huge dividends of the profit from international labor, while workers receive a small fraction of the profit for their wages. Thus, Nike’s image has become tarnished due to its labor practices and unfair treatment to international workers. Ultimately, Nike needs to make drastic changes to its employment practices in order to ensure that executives and managers are able to provide the adequate resources, training and wages that employees need in order to survive and live fully productive lives.
One of the most crucial areas that Nike needs to revamp is the working conditions of its workers. Thus, the company needs to improve the work environment to ensure that workers receive fair treatment. The sweat shops have been criticized for treating workers inhumanely, similar to slavery. Thus, Nike needs to implement strict rules and regulations to ensure that workers have rights to equal protection of liberty and happiness just like in America. This will help to protect workers from cruel managers and harassment at the workplace. Thorough investigations of reported mistreatments or abuses to workers should be done to minimize and prevent the onset of wrong and unethical labor practices. Employees deserve to work in conditions that are free of stress and abuse in order to ensure that they are able to effectively perform. Stricter working rules will ensure that workers are equally protected and free from harmful and stressful working conditions. Thus, this is important to help boost employee morale and create a more productive work team.
Also, Nike should ensure that workers receive fair pay, which is essential for them to support their families and live quality lives. Many of the workers at the sweat shops are poverty-stricken due to the low economy of some of the third world countries that hold Nike’s factories. It is extremely important for Nike to raise its wage requirements to ensure that workers receive the income and benefits that they need to effectively support their families. Thus, this may require that some of Nike’s executives lower their income levels in order to ensure that international workers receive adequate pay. Ultimately, this will help to make sure that pay is distributed equally, and provides a decent income. It will also help to lower some of the hours that employees work and ensure that they are paid for any overtime hours. Overall, raising the wages for employees will be extremely beneficial to the company and the economy of third world countries.
Moreover, Nike should also allocate some funds towards education and training for employees. They should also cut executives’ pay to put more funds towards restructuring the factories to make it safer and hazard free for employees. Also, employees need adequate resources and skills in order to ensure that they are productive and are contributing to the overall work environment. Thus, it is Nike’s duty to ensure that employees receive the training that they need to be productive and effective workers. This will help to boost performance and ensure that Nike maximizes its productivity. Also, providing education incentives and benefits to workers will encourage them to obtain education and become more proficient at work. Thus, more education will help them to move up in the workplace and attain higher level and better paying jobs. Overall, education is a great benefit to all areas of society, it will help to promote a more engaged and knowledgeable workforce.
Thus, Nike should bolster efforts to implement programs and other valuable necessities that will help to increase employee performance and lifestyles. The sweat shops are harsh work environments for employees, and thus, they need to be revamped to ensure that employees receive fair treatment, which is essential to retaining loyal and high performing workers. Increasing wages, strengthening employee and manager relationships, and providing benefits and protection to workers are essential to improving the overall work climate. Thus, Nike should hold its employees on a higher level because they are the forerunners for the company, and the ones who make sure that the company’s products are effectively manufactured. Ultimately, Nike should take necessary measures to ensure that employees receive the pay and fair treatment needed to foster a more caring and productive work environment.
Essentially, by balancing low production costs and higher wages, Nike will be able to create a more fair work system. Employees deserve to be treated fairly and receive decent pay to support their families. Thus, changes in the company should reflect the needs of employees to maintain high productivity level. Also, protecting the human rights of employees is a crucial part of restructuring the operational process as well. Nike’s image has been tainted due to the harsh criticism it received due to its labor conditions, thus, the company has to make necessary changes to help restore its image and maintain its brand for loyal consumers. Above all, the company should incorporate fair and ethical labor rules to continue its mission to provide quality shoes and apparel to its dedicated consumer base.
- Barboza, D. (2008). In Chinese factories, lost fingers and low pay. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com.
- Wazir, B. (2001). Nike accused of tolerating sweatshops. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com.
