| I'm going to address a topic that isn't often | | | | is particularly important to high technology |
| discussed formally by top management within a | | | | enterprises. High Tech companies, |
| business, certainly not out in the open. It's | | | | particularly startups, are built to move very |
| a major topic in HR circles, I'm sure. It's | | | | fast. A big aspect of that speed advantage is |
| also a major topic, in hushed tones, around | | | | often the company cultures, which tend to be |
| the water cooler and during lunch among | | | | open and collaborative. To ignore this issue |
| friends. But regardless of how little formal | | | | in a High Tech business is to invite a loss |
| attention it gets, this is an important issue | | | | of productivity, or in extreme circumstances, |
| that exists in nearly every workplace, large | | | | an actual destruction of the company culture |
| and small. While it's not something that gets | | | | that you've worked hard to create. Resentment |
| addressed in management meetings or SEC | | | | can build quickly when favoritism is |
| filings, I'd venture to guess that it can | | | | suspected. Resentment quickly becomes |
| have as much affect on a company as most | | | | bitterness, and bitterness leads to all sorts |
| "high profile" management topics. | | | | of behavior which creates problems for |
| | | | companies. Plummeting productivity, divisions |
| THE PROBLEM | | | | between the perceived "haves" and |
| | | | "have-nots", absenteeism and attrition. All |
| The issue that I' m referring to is Workplace | | | | of this has the potential to slow down or |
| Favoritism. If you've ever worked in an | | | | even stop a fast-moving, but embryonic, High |
| organization larger than two people, I | | | | Tech business very quickly. |
| suspect that you've seen it. Favoritism is | | | | |
| part of human nature. No two people interact | | | | PERCEPTION, NOT REALITY |
| similarly to any other two, so it's | | | | |
| impossible for all workplace relationships to | | | | I want to emphasize that it's the PERCEPTION |
| be "equal". It's only natural to gravitate to | | | | of favoritism that does the damage. If there |
| people that you share common interests with, | | | | is actual favoritism, you can argue that |
| and with whom you have an easy rapport. And | | | | management is just getting what they deserve. |
| of course, there's nothing wrong with any of | | | | But I've seen proud managers who think that |
| this, on the surface. The problems surface | | | | since they're not actually doing anything |
| when one of three distinct things ocurr: | | | | wrong, that should be enough--people will |
| | | | recognize it. They may also feel that they |
| 1. When a good rapport and shared interests | | | | are too busy worrying about "real" business |
| lead to a PERCEPTION that an employee is | | | | problems that are critical to the business in |
| getting favored treatment from a manager | | | | the near term, to be concerned with such |
| | | | "soft"issues. They'll let HR worry about such |
| 2. When a manager ACTUALLY PROVIDES unfair | | | | things. Or since they're not actually guilty, |
| preferential treatment for one employee at | | | | they believe that they just don't need to |
| the expense of others | | | | defend themselves further. Lastly, they might |
| | | | think that since they're the "all powerful" |
| 3. Nepotism, the granddaddy of workplace | | | | boss, they can do what they want, and no one |
| favoritism | | | | will challenge their decisions. |
| | | | |
| So you might be thinking, hey, this is pretty | | | | In nearly all cases, no matter the |
| subjective stuff. There are many people in | | | | justification, the companies of managers who |
| the workplace who are extremely sensitive, | | | | ignore perceptions of favoritism will suffer |
| and are looking around every corner for | | | | as a result of the oversight. |
| perceived slights and injustices. Women can | | | | |
| be suspicious that they're being shut out of | | | | This is a pretty confusing topic, with a lot |
| participation in the best projects, or | | | | of room for misperception on both the |
| advancement, because of the "Old Boys | | | | management and employee sides. But it's |
| Club"--oftentimes with good reason, | | | | extremely important for management to |
| unfortunately. There are also many | | | | directly address the issue head-on. So what's |
| under-performers who look at other's | | | | a manager to do to avoid the PERCEPTION of |
| relationships, in an attempt to convince | | | | favoritism, which as discussed above, can be |
| themselves that it's something other than | | | | just as damaging as actual favoritism? |
| their own shortcomings that is preventing | | | | |
| them from getting ahead. | | | | COMMON SENSE APPROACH |
| | | | |
| WHAT DEFINES FAVORITISM? | | | | I propose that it's not hard to take a common |
| | | | sense approach to favoritism. Here are the |
| I don't believe that you can, or should, | | | | rules I suggest management try to live by: |
| treat everyone the same. I'm not an advocate | | | | |
| of communism. People who perform well should | | | | 1.Do everything within your power to insure |
| be rewarded. And a single management style | | | | that advancement, perks and compensation are |
| doesn't work equally well with all employees. | | | | based strictly upon objective performance |
| Some people need more attention to fulfill | | | | measures |
| their potential, while others excel with less | | | | |
| attention and more autonomy. And speaking | | | | 2.Strive to treat everyone fairly, if not |
| strictly about nepotism, just because an | | | | necessarily the same |
| employee is related to someone in a position | | | | |
| of power, doesn't insure they are lazy or | | | | 3.Put yourself in your employee's |
| incompetent. | | | | shoes--think back to before you were a |
| | | | manager, and evaluate whether you might feel |
| So when does smart, individualized management | | | | a particular action feels like favoritism |
| of employees cross the line into unfair | | | | |
| favoritism? | | | | 4.Create an environment where any employee |
| | | | feels comfortable discussing a perceived |
| It crosses the line when an employee receives | | | | injustice with management--this enables |
| extra benefits that are perceived to result | | | | managers to nip misconceptions in the bud |
| from a "special relationship" rather than | | | | |
| from excelling in job performance. | | | | 5.Practice an open door policy--this also |
| | | | contributes to a culture of trust, which can |
| The actions in question can be pretty subtle, | | | | sooth ruffled feathers before hurt feelings |
| and the employees who feel slighted might be | | | | can fester and turn a situation far more sour |
| very good at hiding their true feelings. So | | | | |
| it's also very easy for a manager to think | | | | 6.Manage potential perceptions of favoritism |
| there's no real problem, and often be totally | | | | proactively--it's much easier to prevent the |
| oblivious to perceptions of favoritism. | | | | perception up front, than it is to "put out |
| | | | the fire" once it's raging |
| But it is extremely important for management | | | | |
| to be hyper-sensitive to this issue. While | | | | 7.If at all possible, avoid family |
| this is a universal business issue, I feel it | | | | relationships within the workplace. |