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“If you feel uncomfortable with the direction of the relationship, act sooner versus later,” Taylor says. If you’re being singled out as a favorite and advancing purely because of that, you’re going to end up in a position you’re not qualified for surrounded by resentful and unsupportive peers.” If you’re earning the opportunities you’re receiving, but others are perceiving it as a favoritism, they may just be undermining your hard work.īe able to say no. “Ultimately, there is no upside to favoritism.
#PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IN THE WORKPLACE HOW TO#
Have a conversation with your boss or with HR to figure out how to correct the situation, Kahn says. What else can you do if you’re the favored employee? To jealously guard being favored may help you with your boss, but it will not help you with your associates.” “Suggesting the names of other capable candidates for opportunities, and sharing positive comments about team members’ performance, and other inclusive behaviors can be useful. So, if you suspect you are the one being favored unfairly, “taking on the role of an inclusive team member can be an asset,” says Marsha Egan, a workplace and e-mail productivity coach, CEO of and author of Inbox Detox and the Habit of E-mail Excellence (Acanthus 2009). In Pictures: 9 Things You Can Do When You’re The Victim of Favoritism at Work Payleitner says unearned favoritism also “leads to the unselected believing that your efforts will not be recognized fairly that the yardstick for success has nothing to do with performance.” “There’s also a chance that the employer may lose good people, if they feel their talents are going unnoticed,” she adds. Hockett adds that by not giving other team members an opportunity to shine, the boss is not allowing the team or company to grow, which can cost the company more money in the long run. “Also, by focusing attention on particular employees, it’s easy to overlook growth opportunities and unique skill sets offered by others.” “By not treating everyone equally, a manager is fostering a sense of resentment and separation that can de-motivate employees and damage team unity,” he says. How can unhealthy favoritism impact the workplace?īeyond potential legal implications, there are many negative consequences, Kahn says. My clients were then able to follow their lead, but in the extra effort and secure the same opportunities.” On further investigation, it turned out those employees were working extra hours, going above and beyond to earn the confidence of their employer and, ultimately, earning those chances for advancement. “With my own clients, I’ve had instances where they’ve seen peers getting opportunities they were not receiving and perceiving that as favoritism. “It’s important for employees to distinguish favoritism from performance recognition,” Kahn says. But when the boss favors someone in the office without real merit, there may be serious consequences. She says it’s healthy for management to favor and reward an employee who is always willing to collaborate and offer up real solutions.“This can even motivate employees to deliver better results,” she says. Teri Hockett, the chief executive of What’s For Work?, a career site for women, concurs. But when she gives a friend the office with the best view based on no other criteria, that crosses into favoritism.” “When a boss assigns a critical, high-profile project to one individual, she hopefully selects the best person for the job.
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“We start out with a favorite toy and grow from there,” he adds.
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Favoritism can be fairly benign in some situations, but it can also be much more serious and develop into a hostile environment for others.”įavoritism is human nature, says Mark Payleitner, a business career program instructor at Computer Systems Institute. “One or more employees are chosen to handle the better, more senior, higher visibility projects-making others who are equally or more qualified feel as if the boss is not playing fair. “It’s like the old familiar teacher’s pet syndrome from grade school,” she says. She says favoritism in the workplace is as common as the office water cooler, but a lot more toxic. Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job, agrees.
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