Why You Absolutely Must Avoid Employee Favoritism at Work

Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of relying on a few key employees to tackle the most critical tasks. While these employees might be competent and loyal, repeatedly giving opportunities to the same few employees is a type of favoritism. Employee favoritism is a corrosive force that can damage your team and jeopardize your future. Here’s how to avoid employee favoritism.

Signs of Favoritism at Work

Favoritism at work changes the dynamic of a team. It causes tension between employees, lowers morale, and can even drive good employees to quit—not to mention putting you at risk for a discrimination lawsuit if things go south. Worst of all, it’s nearly impossible for a manager to regain the respect of their employees once it’s been lost due to employee favoritism.

The danger is that we might not realize we’re showing favoritism until it’s too late. Here are a few examples of what favoritism at work might look like:

• Excessive praise
• Consistently assigning high-profile assignments
• Inclusion of certain employees in key meetings
• Overly friendly relationships
• Additional access to the boss
• Special accommodations
• Special perks
• Different scales of performance measurement
• Difference in compensation

While these things might happen in the workplace for many reasons, it’s essential to monitor them to ensure you’re not accidentally playing favorites. If one employee constantly receives praise and handles new opportunities, other employees will correctly identify this as favoritism. 

Managing Favoritism in the Workplace

Even the best managers can occasionally indulge in employee favoritism. The key is to develop a system for managing favoritism at work that all employees are aware of. 

First, create an open office culture that fosters communication. Ensuring every employee has equal access to your time and energy will reduce the perception of employee favoritism. 

Please spend time with each employee to learn about their personalities and professional goals, then assign tasks to help them succeed.

Be aware of any preferences or biases you might have that could be interpreted as employee favoritism. Try to embrace employees who are different from you and avoid becoming too friendly with any single employee. As a manager, you must remain impartial and appear so to your team as a whole. 

Please let your employees know if potential favoritism is suspected. Explain your reasoning, and if it is a case of favoritism, take decisive steps to combat it. Ensure your team knows every employee is equally valued, and express your appreciation individually.

At one point, you likely will exhibit behaviors that could be seen as favoritism. However, if you develop an open and honest culture where every employee feels equally valued, you can rest assured that they will work with you to move past it.  

As I have considered perceived favoritism within our businesses, I have settled on the idea that we can never treat everyone equally. Still, we can and should treat all of our teammates equitably. Keeping this in mind will help tamp down the negative energy of favoritism.

Avoiding employee favoritism at work is a critical component of being a leader. If you’re worried about expressing an unconscious bias, I can help. Please fill out my contact form to schedule a complimentary coaching call, and let’s talk about the effects of favoritism in the workplace.

Coach Dave