What are your worries?

Visiting a WE factory, our team is surprised to see all the workers are wearing proper PPE, including ear plugs. After so many factory visits, this is an unusual sight. Because we’re really impressed, we inquire: how did you accomplish this?

“Money talks! It is the most effective way to navigate the workers’ behaviour,” management says. It turns out they have introduced financial penalties for workers who don’t wear PPE, use mobile phones during working hours, chat, listen to music or violate one of the many other rules of conduct.

·????? It’s unacceptable, the fine is even more than a day’s wage!”

·????? “They told me that was their money, if they can give it to us, they can also take it back!”

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Money deduction is unacceptable of course. It’s against the law. But despite frustrated sharing of workers, despite three rounds of dialogue in six months’ time with management, but without the CEO, the problem persists!

We, the WE facilitators, listen to the complaints from the workers. We listen to the resistance from the Board of Management to launch a new legitimate discipline policy. Meanwhile, the Brand steps in, calling for renewed dialogue with solutions. An urgent message to stop the violation immediately is launched from the supplier’s headquarter.

We wreck our brains about setting up a new dialogue. How can we invite the energy of co-creation instead of all this confrontation? We decide to set up a preparation meeting with the CEO of the factory.

?“What did you worry about when you postponed a new policy during the past six months? And what are your concerns when this new policy will be launched?” we ask.

“I’m afraid when workers will no longer care about the safety norms, the violation and accident rate may increase. We have almost 1000 workers, how can we manage safety if we only rely on them to do this voluntarily? Do you know any success stories from other factories where they do not apply the money discipline?” the CEO replies.

Before this meeting, we were so opinionated about the board of managers. Now, after creating a constructive atmosphere, we can hear the complexity of the situation.

Right before the dialogue with all parties concerned, we do a multi-stakeholder’s interview about the new policy. All the results are brought to the subsequent conversation.

What we hear:

• Many workers share that they prefer money deduction rather than warning letters. “When the factory deducts the money, it’s done. We keep our job. Now, we must be more careful. It’s not easy to find another job during the current recession.”
• Others say: “I like the new policy as it frees me from having to watch the camera when I walk around the factory.”And: “This new policy boosts our autonomy and mutual trust.”
• The supervisors share they are worried that skilled workers are going to be sent off. It is so difficult these days to find good workers.

During the dialogue participants suggest several initiatives to promote good practices within the factory and to remove the money deduction. All this time, the CEO is present and engaged in the whole conversation. Just before he leaves the room, one of us asks him: “Why didn’t you share your worries the way you shared them with us?”

His answer: “When I listened to everyone in the room, I knew they cared about their job, about the factories, about the others. I don’t feel worried anymore. I know enough now.”

?Our team has stayed in touch with the factory to see how violation changes after introducing the new policy and removing the money discipline. Human Rescources shared they’ve had many conversations with workers who keep violating the regulations. “We want to find ways to support them in complying with the regulations. These talks helped us understand more about the workers’ circumstances. We didn’t think about their side of the story before.”

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