Why Ethical Outsourcing Matters

Why ethical outsourcing matters

We are proud to be the first group to identify as “ethical outsourcing”.  This model helps your bottom line because it reduces attrition and draws the top talent.  It reduces general risk because we don’t underpay or otherwise take advantage of our talent.  This keeps us on the ‘right side’ of host-country regulators.  Even though we are firm believers that markets and innovation are the best paths to improving the world, we also recognize that ethics can never be about ‘the bottom line’.
Other outsourcing groups, call centers, etc are not content enough with the savings that come from the disparity of labor costs between the wealthy and emerging nations.  They want to squeeze as much as possible out of the already vulnerable labor pool in the developing countries.  Dream Team HR does not play this way.  We believe that there is enough of a spread for everyone to win- the clients, us, and the talent.  We do not feel it is ethical to hire a worker who is in the bottom half of a national workforce unless our position either A: permit a dignified lifestyle or B: has a clear track to upward mobility.  Our model seeks to accomplish both.
What is a dignified lifestyle?  It is nothing fancy. It means having time to spend with your family. It means having enough income to live a modest healthy lifestyle, and take care of your dependents.  The minimum wage trap, particularly in developing countries dooms workers to a very hard life, often working 48 to 60 hours per week, with little chance to break into an improved situation.  There is no equivalency to someone in NY working 60 to 80 hours per week on a start-up or a corporate job. The upside to that grueling gamble is transitional.  To have someone work 9+ hours per day in a call center feels predatory.

“But if we didn’t hire them they would be out of work altogether!” That is the retort every time. Our firm answers as follows:  “Just because you ‘can’ get something for nothing doesn’t mean you should”.
Developing countries are often broken and recovering. We have a strong commitment to being a force that elevates people – not just you, as our clients, but our talent as well.  We don’t want to be the staffing equivalent of a maquiladora. When our human brethren are struggling, we should give them an opportunity.  People in wealthy nations are in a position of great power compared to those in developing nations.  We must exercise restraint and some degree of benevolence in our use of low-cost human capital.  That is a core value of the Dream Team HR- and it feels good too!