The tense relationship between workers and their supervisors may be one of the reasons behind the spate of suicides at Foxconn.

At Foxconn's Shenzhen complex, workers seem agitated. They accuse the company of mistreatment and abuse.

A Foxconn worker said, "When you are new, it's hard not to make any mistakes. The production-line managers often swear at us."

Workers are told they are replaceable. It has been indoctrinated to them since their first day at the company.

A Foxconn worker said, "When I first got here, someone told me Foxconn will run just fine with or without me, so I better do my job well."

But workers don't necessarily see eye to eye with their managers.

A Foxconn worker said, "It's like they rule with an iron fist. They don't treat us as humans. That's the way to train newbies?"

Qing Tong, who used to work as a production-line manager at Foxconn believes proper grassroots-level management is crucial to workers' mental well-being.

Qing Tong, Ex-manager of Foxconn Product-line, said, "Workers should be able to trust their managers when troubled by issues outside of work. But most of the production-line managers can't be counted on."

All of the workers who committed suicides were under 25. Psychologists believe an outlet to let workers vent their frustrations is key to prevent similar tragedies.

Psychologist Hu Shenzhi said, "Foxconn has a very young workforce. Perhaps the workers don't know how to deal with negative emotions. And when they encounter problems, some may resort to more extreme means, such as throwing away their life."

In the wake of a series of suicides, Foxconn opened a support hotline. But the service is already stretched to the limit.

A Foxconn worker said, "The line is always busy after working hours. You may not find counseling there."

Psychologists warn Foxconn should do more to reach out to its workers. It should also place more emphasis on giving its employees more respect.

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