Should corporations treat workers like human beings or replacable commodities?

Question

The disadvantage of treating workers like human beings is that you may have labor cost increases and not enough of a morale boost. The advantage of treating employees as replacable as commodities is that you can keep costs lower and your labor is dynamic because you can easily remove employees who produce poorly.

Answer 1

There is no such thing as 100%. So it is better to balance the aspects. Use modern effective motivational techniques, show workers you care for them but inefficiency will not be tolerated. Having a happy work force is a complex matter and need to be handled in . Unhappy and angry workforce will eventually affect your company image.

Its not about the costs because costs are always there one way or another. For example I wll give you two choices:

1. Treat like human beings, labor costs increase. Make workers realize the good treatment which lead to higher productivity.

2.Treat them like commodities which will lead to lower productivity therefore affecting the image. Then you fire them hire new ones who are required to be trained; more cost, then they learn about the treatment after which productivity will fall again.....and you know the rest.

So I think a wise corporation will select the first option. Where there is a benefit to the company.

Answer 2

what do you mean "should"? there is no "should". companies have been treating their employees as numbers that can be erased at any time for a very long time. the corporate attitude is "if you don't like it, LEAVE." i came into the labor market in 1973 and have worked for several large corporations, where moral is only concidered after production falls below acceptable levels. "firings will continue until moral improves" is a true statement

Answer 3

A corporation is a seperate entity, and can outlive it's creators. Corporations treat everyone as commodities. So that is moot.

The real question is, do you managers treat you well?