Why we should look at workers' welfare beyond salaries

 Kenyans marked yet another Labour Day and as has been the case over the years, the Cotu secretary-general and other trade union leaders were pushing for a salary increase. The issue of pay has been a major cause of friction between trade unions and employers. What is annoying is that neither the government nor the trade unions seem to realise that there is more to workers' welfare than salaries. Workers deserve much more than salaries, both while still in service and after they

 

At the moment, there are many retirees still fighting to get their terminal dues. At the same time, there are those suffering silently at home due to work-related illnesses and stress. Still, there are those who are faced with unresolved domestic problems that would need the intervention of their employers. But how many employers go beyond work to ensure that their workers are comfortable so they can be even more productive?

 

The relationship between most companies and their employees is only as far as work is concerned. Sales turnover has for a long time been the main factor companies use to determine a worker's worth. The only time an employer has extended a kind gesture is when the HR manager is reading condolences at a worker's funeral or sends a get-well-soon card to an employee in his hospital bed. It is time trade unions and employers worked together to invest time and more resources in employees' welfare, aside from ensuring better pay.

 

A story is told of a foreigner who had an African driver for many years. The employer treated his driver as a member of his family. He paid for the education of his children and even built him a house. Compare this to the case of a world-class golf hotel in Kiambu where an employee was sacked after developing a back problem due to long hours of standing at work.

 

Kenyan employers must go beyond the legality of employment contracts and strive to cultivate a satisfying relationship of mutual respect with their workers. The workers' salary should be secondary to issues such as health. Some companies even provide day care facilities for their employees' children. This is commendable and should be encouraged.