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