QI am the boss of a small firm involved in IT. I have a committed group of staff but recently I have heard rumours that some of them feel I am giving others preferential treatment at work. I do have a couple of people who have been with me a long time, but I do not believe I am showing any of them favouritism or being unfair to any of the others. How do I address this in a positive manner? CB, Sharjah
AAlthough favouritism can be a prevalent part of organisational life, it is mostly accompanied by negative consequences.
A survey conducted by Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business found that 92 per cent of senior business executives have seen favouritism at play, so the rumours of it in your firm are not totally out of the ordinary. However, undertaking to resolve this in a positive way, as you intend, is the right step forward. Your question infers that you are feeling fairly confident that you are not consciously showing favouritism and, before looking at why others may perceive it as such, it is worth taking a step back and reviewing your own interactions with your employees.
Favouritism is often observed where the manager and employee share a history or common experience, have worked together for a long period, or they have other mutual interests. On a work level, we bond with certain people more than others and unsurprisingly, we enjoy working with people with whom we have a natural connection. If you are honest with yourself, could there be some element of truth to the rumour? Can you think of any specific incidences that may have led to others feeling this way? What are the approaches or criteria that you use when assigning projects? Is there anything in the way in which you engage with specific employees that could lead others to feel that you favour them – perhaps by being more inclusive on a personal level or informally connecting with them? It is inevitable that we interact on different levels with different people, but as a leader it is important to be aware of this and to be mindful of the possible implications of how others interpret it.
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It is conceivable that the accusations could come from a place of insecurity or even envy, triggering a degree of political posturing. Others may not be aware of the effort, hard work or responsibilities that some employees have undertaken to be assigned certain tasks or projects. As the other employees are not necessarily aware of the full picture, they may feel overlooked or under-appreciated, only seeing that their colleagues receive credit or recognition.
Another consideration is that of generational differences. From your question, it could be inferred that the people considered to receive preferential treatment are those that have been with you longer and therefore may be at a later stage in their career. If you do have younger millennials in your team, they may have high expectations of promotion and rapid progression. If they perceive that they are not being afforded the opportunity of being assigned interesting projects or promotion, they may interpret this as special treatment of others.
Try to shift the perception across the firm, as perceived favouritism can evolve into a toxic environment – potentially breaking down trust, lowering morale and leading to resentment from other employees. When real favouritism is present, there is a danger of overlooking potential from other employees and constraining the prospective growth of the firm. Some employees may opt to leave, leading to a loss of essential talent and further stifling growth.
Doctor's prescription:
From the way you refer to favouritism, it does not seem to be something you subscribe to. Reassure your staff that there is no room for favouritism or unfair treatment. Share positive comments about performance, encourage input from everyone and offer opportunities to all. Be transparent about your rationale when making decisions as others may not be aware of all the information or issues. Set up systems that allow you to benchmark and measure outcomes, which will enable you to objectify performance rather than potentially being viewed as personalising it. If you are still concerned that perceived favouritism is an issue, undertake an engagement survey to gain clarity of your current climate and commitment. Finally, be inclusive and let everyone have open and equal access to you.
Yolande Basson is an executive coach and consultant
at Ashridge Executive Education – Middle East
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
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The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Company%20Profile
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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Company%20Profile
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The%20Specs
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Company%20profile
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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