To summarize, the concept of favoritism at work exists in the corporate world. There are many instances where an employer will favor a particular worker. The fact is that no one enjoys feeling overlooked and undervalued, especially in a workplace setting. Yet it happens in all walks of life, some experience it more than others. For instance, a parent may show favoritism to a child. A more realistic example is a school teacher who offers exceptional attention to honor-roll students.
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Signs of Favoritism at Work
Ideally, your workplace should be a space radiating positive energy and helping teammates to work together harmoniously. Employees should not feel animosity towards each other. To prevent favoritism, you need to look for these signs with a vision akin to a hawk’s.
- Suppose the employer offers special or extra privileges to some workers. This can include extended lunch breaks and additional vacation days.
- Having double standards or showing them often. A great example is punishing one employee but practicing leniency for another worker for making the same mistake.
- One thing to always keep an eye out for is forming informal bonds. This can account for spending much time with one employee, even after work hours.
- Taking away from one employee to give to another. Mainly handing a project to a favored employee even if they do not qualify.
- Lastly, favoritism at work can look like this. The employer offers more coaching to certain employees.
Why is Favoritism An Issue?
Favoritism in the workplace spells terrible news for businesses. For starters, it can create unnecessary turbulence. This disrupts team spirit and birth differences that pertain to hard feelings. When workers feel like their boss is mistreating them, there may be a myriad of emotions, including:
- Feeling resentful toward co-workers and showing it in conversations
- Losing respect for team leaders and the employer
- Demotivation becomes a genuine factor if there is a case of favoritism
- Productivity is significantly affected and quiet quitting sees an increase
- The rapid increase in employee turnover rates
Most well-researched studies show that favoritism at work deteriorates professional relationships. It leads to fewer mentoring and coaching problems for subordinates as well. But this doesn’t only hurt them; it impacts your organization. When workers face injustice in the workplace, their following action goes to an extreme. So what do you think this step is? They quit. In the middle of a nationwide labor shortage, losing out on good talent so consistently and on such terms spells more trouble for your business. Not only that, the expense of training your new hires is quite high.
What To Do When Your Boss Plays Favorite?
Yep, at this point you are putting it all together. Your boss clearly has a favorite. Following these tips can keep your career moving forward when that favorite isn’t you.
Get a Reality Check
It’s time to let your brain do the thinking. Your boss’s favoritism at work might be infuriating but think logically. Complaining about the entire situation and whining will not help your case. The best way to do that is to, first of all, practice honesty with yourself. Now that could mean taking a slice of humble pie because no one wants to admit that a colleague might be more experienced. Thus they enjoy more face-time with the employer. This is frequently the case when we talk about practical life. Take your time to assess the situation and speak to a mentor for an honest and fair assessment.
But don’t limit this assessment to just the technical aspects of your job. Always take an honest look at your performance and consider the relationships formed at work. Take these questions into account.
- Are you easy to get along with?
- Do you have strong relationships with your colleagues?
- Do they trust you?
Understand When It’s Time to Walk
So you’ve done it. You’ve made your case to the boss. Their reaction should be the deciding factor in determining if the job is worth continuing. If the meeting goes positively and the boss agrees that you are suited to handle bigger, better projects, that is terrific. Unfortunately, this is a dream scenario, and the opposite may happen in any practical case. The boss may be dismissive of your goals and show no interest in helping their employees grow. Simply put, it’s a huge red flag. If you have done all you can from a professional standpoint and still do not get the recognition, it’s time to dust off your resume.
Control Your Destiny
Favoritism in the workplace is obviously frustrating, but there are solutions. It’s good to be giddy with your supervisor, but never a prerequisite in order for you to excel at your job. The goal should be to detach yourself from your boss’s feelings. Instead, concentrate your energy on what actually matters and the work performance. Simply put, you cannot control the actions of your boss; you can only control your reaction to him or her. Focus on what is before you, your tasks, accountabilities, and serving your customers.
Make sure your boss knows what’s up by regularly reporting on your accomplishments. Don’t pay your boss a visit when there is a problem. Your ability to set yourself apart should be on full display here.
Bursting The Myth: Tackling Favoritism at Work
The concept of favoritism at work is genuine. But it should be down to your emotions and how you handle them. An employer will always have some favorites; the real question rests in your mind and your response. Certain situations require a deeper level of pondering, especially when it concerns your professional life.
There you have it, we hope all your queries about favoritism at work have been answered. Feel free to reach out and comment if interested.
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