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The Intricacies Of Workplace Favoritism
You may have been in a work situation at your workplace whereby one person gets all the plaudits and praise even though someone else has done most of the work.
This is a common occurrence in most workplaces and is referred to as favoritism in the workplace. A good case scenario would be whereby a colleague of equal standing as you in the organization structure is given more praise and briefed by your boss regarding important happenings in the company despite of the fact that you or other colleagues are the ones working the hardest and delivering more results.
After closer scrutiny later, you may find out that they could be having common interests such as golf membership in one club and this means that they have an extra bond that you could never have.
Witnessing of workplace favoritism ranks highly among the most demoralizing and motivation-killing experiences an employee can experience.
This is best noticeable when a particular employee seems to get preferential treatment over his peers for reasons not related to their superior performance at work.
This could take the form of a person getting unfair expedited promotions in rank over the others, getting a higher payment for performing tasks similar to those of his or her peers as well as getting more leeway of coming and going to work during duty hours as they please.
In a nutshell, favoritism in the workplace is whereby an individual appears to get better treatment at the workplace over the others for no valid or explicable reasons.
In each of the favoritism instances, the preferential treatment these people get is not dependent on their abilities but for the mere fact that they happen to know the people or person. Favoritism at work occurs regardless of whether the office environment is small or large.
Your reaction to this favoritism is dependent on how blatant the workplace favoritism is, whether it can be proven or whether it is illegal or not. The company’s willingness of tolerating such occurrences is also key.
Things you should consider before you go public
It is therefore imperative that you think of the possible consequences before considering making your complaint public. In some countries, such whistle blowers are offered protection but you could end up suffering long-term grief if your complaint ends up not being provable or legitimate.
If the workplace favoritism that you are witness to is hurting you or holding you back as you feel it is based on reasons that are illegal such as age, race or sex, then you would be better off considering legal action.
The only caveat that would ensure you have a case is that you need to have proof of any wrongdoing. You should also contemplate whether it is worth fighting for your current job or not.
You should weigh the option of having to work for a company that blatantly condones or tolerates favoritism in the workplace or seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
Depending on prevailing situation at the work place, you might find it quite a challenge in your attempts to prove the favoritism that is rife there or getting a positive resolution of the matter altogether.
Life unfair and the workplace seems to be the source of many unfair acts.
You should never allow someone to walk all over you. Your pride and character should not allow you to be demoralized.
The post The diary of workplace favoritism. appeared first on Ethical Behavior Boy.
