Handling Favoritism at Work

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In simpler words your basically saying to kiss the bosses ass. I personally don't think that you should suck up to, or kiss anyones ass to get ahead in this world!!!

Chris A Miller of FL 2:25PM October 16, 2012

This is an idiotic article. I have an MA in Communications and taught organizational communication at an elite University. A boss who is ignorant enough to play favorites is a loser. Find another job and get the respect you deserve. I'm in this situation right now and to boost my morale, I started sending my resume out. Wow!! Much more well respected agencies (and better paying) are going out of their way to move me along. I agree with previous commenter who wrote that this article is a lesson in brown nosing...an organization that promotes that kind of behavior is mediocre at best, and those of us who work hard and want to do well have little interest in settling on a mediocre employer. I also give kudos to the commenter who wrote that she/he wants to hang on to their integrity. Good for you. Find an employer who matches your admirable standards.

SB of CA 1:15AM August 09, 2012

Our supervisor and her sister both backed into there jobs by being family friends to the production manager. Our manager is friends with that same production manager. and a majority of our department is drinking buddies with the sisters. The rest of us have a different set of rules dont get recognition and basically have to walk on pins and needles day in and day out. This is a factory setting so finding another job without a degree,well forget it I am stuck. I am unfortunatly a rebel and will not brown nose or become part of there click in order to keep my job. I have something they dont have, integrity, and they cant take that from me.

rebel of MN 5:38PM May 10, 2012

Hmm, great. Sucking-up lessons.

jane of FL 8:47AM November 22, 2011

I have to deal with blatant favoritism. The person who does the least and adds little to no value gets the most. We initially started off on the same foot. I'm not adept at kissing butt like my coworker. Does it make sense to allow only one employee to telework when that person lives the closest to the office? Does it make sense that the one who does mediocre work at best and still doesn't know the job after several years is the favored employee? It's baffling and a poor reflection on both the favored employee and the boss.

Nauseated 4:03PM October 26, 2011

Let us assume that favoritism is unfair, but legal. What if the favoritism goes so far as to create financial hardship for the unfavored employee? I do not "brown nose" and do not avoid voicing my opinion on issues brought to my attention. I currently work for a family owned business and my job duties include loading, transporting, delivering and unloading market hogs. All drivers are provided a prepared schedule which includes the following information: 1)load time, 2)number of hogs to load, 3) where to load, 4) load number, and 5) where to deliver / dock time to unload.
I was happy when I first started, however, I wrecked a truck in my first year. One month later I had a heart attack and subsequently had 3 stints placed in my heart to improve the muscle's circulation. While off work I was told "We are really lucky he did not hit anybody." This is true of the accident. However, not much concern was voiced on my health.
When I returned to work my miles were greatly reduced. I assured my boss that I was perfectly capable, if not better, to perform my job. He appeared to accept this and I was confident things would return to "normal" and that my miles would increase. However, that did not happen. I have had a few disagreements with my boss, but have never disrespected him. In the past year I have seen 3, especially 1 driver, receive preferential treatment. They get most of the long hauls, earlier load times, and earlier dock times. They do not have to take required days off when business is slow.
When hired, I was told that Saturday loads were first come first serve, but I have seen these drivers' names penciled in with the boss's hand writing. He will call and offer the loads to them and only if they decline, then maybe, just maybe, the load will be offered to me. I am accused of "racing" to the delivery site. I am accused of calling producers and altering load times. And, I have been threatened with being written up when I won't admit to these allegations. "You can write it, but I won't sign it because I didn't do anything wrong."
The issue of favoritism has been addressed in driver meetings by several of us, but we are only told, "it all evens out in the end." Well, it has not "evened out." Due to the continued favoritism, my pay has decreased by $600.00 to $800.00 or more per month. I feel he is attempting to starve me out of my job. With the economy struggling, it is not in my best interest to move on until I am hired by another company...which I am looking. When a fellow driver experienced the boss's wrath about employee performance, that driver suggested to the boss to fire him if his work is so poor. The boss responded, "We don't fire anybody." He, too, feels the boss is attempting to starve him out of his job. So, I ask, is favoritism legal if it affects the finacial stability of the affected employee?

Hog Hauler of IA 6:14PM March 28, 2011

YOU HAVE A CHOICE.TO MAKE IT BETTER BY MAKING IT WORK BY THE BOSSES WAY OR GETTING A DIFFERENT JOB.YOU WANT TO FIGHT THE WAY THE BOSS WANTS IT RAN.GOOD LUCK. CORPORATE IS NOT MY CUP OF TEA.WORKING IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER THE SCHOOL BOARD,PRINCIPLE,STATE LAWS OR PARENTS. THEN THERE IS THE 45 YEAR OLD THAT WORK WITH ALL 20 YEAR OLD STONERS IN THE HEALTH FIELD.I'VE BEEN AT THEM ALL. YOU WORK FOR YOUR FUTURE NOT YOUR BOSS.PICK YOUR POISON.

LADON of CO 8:20PM November 30, 2009

Your advice to "work harder" and develop relationships (ie.brown-nose) only perpetuates the problem...not solve it! The degree of favoritism in federal employment is more rampant than most are aware, and the "paper tiger" of a union is laughable. My advice would be to evaluate whether continued tolerance will fulfill immediate and future NEEDS (not wants)...and accept that "life's not fair". Tolerance does not equate to acceptance, NEEDS vs. INTEGRITY must be achieved and constantly re-evaluated.

Dave of GA 12:50PM September 06, 2009

So the advice is basically try to make the boss see you in a favorable light? Try to make her change her favoritism ways ?
Well what about favoritism that goes against you when the female boss just doesn't like you, and is petty, sneaky, irrational, is a bitch, etc.? The problem in cases of favoritism is the boss is WRONG. There is a WRONG and RIGHT, and these types of articles say let the bosses act in the WRONG there's nothing you can do about it other than try to get them to like you or be exceptional (but have you considered that you can overwork and be exceptional yet she still doesn't like you so too bad?). Is that just the way it is? They can make you lose your job but they can't lose theirs for sickly inconsistent treatment of employees? Just is not right.

Lydia of CA 6:04AM May 06, 2009

I am so sick of signing memo after memo to follow this policy and this policy, keep in mind that EVERYONE has to sign, but a month later its okay for the people in the other departments to disregard the memo signed and do whatever they please and get away with it. Talking on cell phones during work hours. Receiving personal calls at the work place. Looking on the internet not work related, during work hours. Its okay for other people in other departments to get away with it but when my department says anything, we're that bad ones that we feel that we're in the wrong and we have been told, if we don't like it, we can leave. If this is said to me one more time, I'm walking and never looking back.

h. of WI 8:01PM January 13, 2009