Bangladesh study puts focus on factory supervisors

DHAKA – A new study focusing on the Bangladeshi garment sector suggests this oversight needs to be rectified. By analysing survey data from 1,377 workers across 107 factories, researchers have identified that ‘Supervisor Interpersonal Justice’ (SIJ) (defined as the practice of treating workers with respect, using polite language, and supporting them when they make mistakes) is an important, low-cost driver of factory stability.

Worker Participation Committees (WPCs) and stringent external monitoring programs, such as the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, act as force multipliers. When these mechanisms are in place, the relationship between a supervisor’s fair behaviour and a worker’s positive emotional state strengthens.