Fair labour is fast becoming a major issue in the UAE, Middle East and Asia. Although the UAE’s total population is only 9.4million, almost one third of residents – 3million people – are working under conditions of modern slavery. Business practices involving ethical hiring and fair labour have a wealth of benefits for migrant workers, business growth and profit.
Here are five reasons to introduce fair labour initiatives into your hiring processes:
5. Protect Your Brand
When workers are forced to pay agency fees, opportunities for corruption are rife: your recruitment agency partner is incentivised to take advantage of desperate workers and focus on hiring as many people as possible, regardless of their skill level. Corruption anywhere in a supply chain can generate negative PR that becomes catastrophic for well-known brands.
Protecting your brand actively drives positive awareness of your business. 57% of Asia-based business leaders who practice fair treatment of workers report stronger client relationships, which in turn encourage further sales and customer referrals.
4. Get the Best Workers
Ethical recruitment increases employee engagement and retention of permanent employees. Engaged workers are 59% less likely to look for a job with a different organization in the next 12 months. A positive business reputation makes it much easier to recruit new talent across all levels: fair working practices encourage your employees to recommend experienced people in their network. Job applicants will have a positive view of your company throughout their hiring process, making them much more likely to join your company and perform as an engaged, motivated worker.
Even if your company only hires temporary or contract workers, a positive brand image is incredibly valuable for external partnerships. Transparent company values create a positive brand image that other successful companies want to be aligned with. A positive reputation created by fair labour practices will help your business attract new clients and investment from other industry leaders that also value ethical practices.
3. Become Compliant – Protect Your Business
Businesses with unfair labour practices face £multi-million fines and possible prosecution under UK and US anti-slavery laws. If any practices of any part of a supply chain are found to be unethical, UK businesses in the UAE can face financial penalties and prison sentences.
If a business fails to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement when requested, the business leaders will be in contempt of a court order. Exploiting workers through unfair labour, modern slavery and human trafficking is punishable by an unlimited fine and can carry a prison sentence of 14 years.
2. Increase Productivity
Ethical labour increases productivity for both workers and businesses, in turn generating higher profits.
The World Employment Confederation reports on a recent Asia-based business leaders’ survey with the question, ‘How does ethical recruitment helping to grow your business?’ that:
71% of business leaders saw an increase in positive worker morale, which resulted in higher efficiencies
42% observed improved productivity
57% of business leaders reported improved business performance
Recent figures from Forbes also show that happy employees are 20% more productive than unhappy employees.
1. Become a Market Leader
Like the most successful businesses, companies practicing fair labour understand that a small short-term sum paid by companies will generate far greater long-term results than forcing workers to foot the bill.
Whilst fair labour is an increasingly prominent issue on the global stage, many industry experts have been slow to address unethical practices in supply chains. Acting on unfair labour and unethical recruitment in your business sets you apart and position you and your business as market leaders – an executive and a company that cares not only about its profit, but the values of its customers, its place in the world economy and its permanent legacy.
Be inspired by the fair labour initiative of global brands like Apple and Walmart to become a market and industry leader and drive the international growth and success of your business.
Ethical recruitment delivers a wealth of benefits to a business and its bottom line. Find out how fair labour can benefit your business.