How to avoid the risk of playing favourites

Managing staff can be tough. Some are a breeze while others require more attention, sometimes, much more. That might not be due to incompetence but because of clashes in personality or ways of working.  So, at times, it’s a welcome change to manage staff who are easy to get on with, have common interests or simply do the job without issue.

What can happen over time, though, is a tendency to favour those easy-to-manage staff when it comes to new projects, promotions or even requests for time off.  However, the waters can become muddy when others take notice of the favouritism, whether it’s perceived or real. It can very quickly impact the way they view their manager, their role and their overall contribution to the organisation.

Favouritism may not start off as intentional and managers may be unaware of their actions initially, but it can be harmful it many ways and directly contribute to:

• Feelings of resentment towards a manager, colleagues and the organisation for enabling favouritism without consequences or processes in place to allow for transparency and fairness.
• Decreases in productivity. If an employee feels their work is not valued, they are unlikely to work in their peak performance zone or go above and beyond as they believe it will go unnoticed.
• Poor culture – increased water cooler talk, loss of respect among colleagues and managers and loss of credibility for the organisation which seemingly endorses a jobs-for-your-mates mentality.
• Increased staff turnover. Unhappy staff lead to high turnover and sometimes it’s the strong performers that end up leaving in frustration.
• Setting favoured staff up for failure later on. Favoured staff may have an over-inflated view of their skills because they were promoted beyond their actual capabilities

To ensure managers and organisations do their best to avoid favouritism the following initiatives should be in place:

A fair and transparent recruitment process

This promotes due diligence, with at least two to three people involved in the process to avoid conflicts of interests or bias. All vacancies should be promoted well ahead of time, with all candidates – whether internal or external – invited to apply. Work on the concept of hiring the right person for the right role at the right time. Don’t engage in secret hiring where only one particular individual is tapped on the shoulder and then appointed. This approach only erodes culture by demonstrating poor communication, lack of transparency and due process.

A first in, first serve approach or bidding system for leave

This ensures that requests for time off are managed appropriately so everyone has equal access to leave, especially around extended public holidays, school holidays or the Christmas/New Year period.

An unbiased staff referral free program

If there’s a staff referral program, those referring should not be part of the recruitment process as it would be a conflict of interest, especially because there’s usually some type of remuneration involved in these types of programs. Each applicant should be hired on their skills and merit, not because of who they know.

A 360-degree feedback policy

This offers managers a forum to receive feedback from their staff and peers. Include questions around favouritism so managers can get insights on whether they are playing favourites, real or perceived. This concept holds people accountable for more than just their ability to meet KPIs.

Regular team meetings and one-on-ones

This enables increased communication and understanding about team members, their goals, their performance and training needs.  Ensure all staff are given equal time with their manger.

Limited social interaction

Over time, excessive socialising with staff promotes conflicts or perceived favouritism. Conversely, staff could become difficult to manage because the line between manager and friend has become blurred.

Regular training

This develops people-managers to be effective leaders who know the importance of regular communication, setting of expectations, holding people accountable and how to respect professional boundaries.

People management is often learned on the job, so it’s important that organisations have a consistent approach so prevent disparity in how teams are managed.

The workplace is much more enjoyable when people get on and can share a joke or swap stories but for some it’s a fine balance. So it’s important that organisations introduce mechanisms that promotes fairness for all employees. It can be tricky at times, but organisations have to take a step back, educate their managers and hold those accountable who simply aren’t getting it right.

Barbara Selmer Hansen is the director of Impact Business Consulting.