Child labor negatively impacts children and is considered work that deprives children of their dignity and potential or inhibits physical or mental development (International Labour Organization, n.d). It is dangerous to children’s social, physical, psychological, and moral welfare. The impacts involve children leaving school prematurely or having poor academic performance. Child labor depends on the hours of work, age of a child, conditions of working, and the pursued objective. Therefore, companies practicing child labor are going against International laws and regulations. The paper, therefore, focuses on giving two examples of United States companies practicing child labor and their response to the issue and the role of human resource management in developing a culture favoring all the employees.
Companies Using Child Labor
Doward (2019) revealed investigation identified one of the United States coffee giants, Starbucks, as engaging in child labor. The research indicates children aged less than thirteen years working on Guatemala farms are vital in providing the shop with its beans. Additionally, the investigation links five farms with Starbucks, and seven were linked with Nespresso company in Switzerland. The news saddened the Starbuck executive, and they replied, demonstrating zero tolerance toward child labor. Furthermore, the company clarified not having purchased beans in the mentioned farms during the investigation as the farms go against their ethical sourcing standards.
In addition, Phillpott (2019) identifies British American Tobacco company among the ten companies still engaging in child labor. Ramos (2018) mentions BAT as one of the multinationals engaging in child labor contributing to the multi-billion industry. It adds the practice end up causing long-term and immediate effects on the children. The company has been accused, along with its brands, including Pall Mall, Rothmans, and Lucky Strike, in the 2016 report. Also, the report indicates children working under poor conditions on Bangladesh farms owned by the BAT company. An academic referred to as Marty Otanez at the University of Colorado depicts any intended change could lead to an annual decrease in the company’s profit. However, the organization’s accusations are turned down by clarifying they have no answer to offer concerning the matter. The company continues to turn a blind eye to the continued charges.
Role of Human Resource Management
Human capital management is recently at the forefront in perceiving employees as assets whose current value is measurable. The approach also identifies the future value of employees can be measured and enhanced through investment. Additionally, the human resource department indicates compassion in employees’ situations, promoting a sense of belonging. Companies have human resource teams that perform recruitment, administration, selection, and payroll activities, leading to employee satisfaction. The size of the groups depends on the size of the company, where the team is large in big companies. The human resource department ensures that its human capital is rare and has the required skills and knowledge. The department motivates, gives learning opportunities, and develops their abilities regardless of their nation and age to ensure there are no substitutes for the workforce. Also, improvement in methods of communication promotes employee satisfaction.
Conclusion
Child labor practice goes against international labor organizations’ regulations and laws. It also impacts the children’s physical, emotional, mental, and moral development. For work to be considered child labor, it depends on the working conditions, age, and the type of work. Some companies in the United States, such as Starbucks and British American companies, have been accused of child labor. The human resource management department is vital in building a culture ensuring each employee is valued and satisfied.
References
Doward, J. (2020). Children as young as eight picked coffee beans on farms supplying Starbucks. The Guardian, 1.
International Labour Law. (n.d). What is Child Labour? https://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang–en/index.htm#banner
Philpott, S. (2019). 10 Companies that Still Use Child Labour. Career Addict.https://www.careeraddict.com/10-companies-that-still-use-child-labor
Ramos, A. K. (2018). Child labor in global tobacco production: a human rights approach to an enduring dilemma. Health and human rights, 20(2), 235. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6293346/
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