Double standards poison workplace

644

Favoritism is poison in the workplace. Those employees who aren't the "chosen ones" feel their incentive drain away as their resentment grows. Here are two stories that illustrate the point:

Dear Joan:
I need some advice regarding favoritism in the workplace. There is a man in my department who was recently promoted. His performance is only mediocre, but he's very friendly with management on a personal level. Two months ago, in a fit of rage, he destroyed a co-worker's cubicle (ruining personal property). It seems that some of his data was deleted (yet still retrievable) by the co-worker.

According to the employee handbook, his behavior could have resulted in termination. An apology was his only consequence for this offense. Later that day, be bragged, "It will teach him not to mess with me!"

I was raised with a hard-work ethic and the idea that performance is the driving force that furthers your career. Is this theory legitimate or is it obsolete in today's competitive world?

From conversations that I have heard in my department, I am not the only one discouraged by this scenario. In addition, as I am currently seeking out other career opportunities, how do I determine the mode of advancement by a perspective employer before getting into another similar situation?

Answer:
If respect for co-workers, hard work and good performance is obsolete, it's time for me to pack it up and retire. This bully should have been out on his ear before the dust settled. If he blows his stack over retrievable data, what will he do the next time some mistake is made? If employees can't count on management to keep their work environment safe, they have little to do but leave.

Next time ask questions such as, "What are the requirements for promotion?" "What is your policy on nepotism? Hiring friends?" "What happened to the last person who had this job?" "What was the promotional path of the senior people in this department?" Then ask to meet some of the potential co-workers with whom you would be working. Ask them for the straight scoop on how things are really run before saying "Yes."

Dear Joan:
I have been employed by a major corporation for the last few years. It's a very successful, well-known company that preaches all the latest buzz words: empowerment, team work-outs, etc. I quickly learned that our office was quite different. Morale is low, turnover is high, managers micro-manage, and even worse, manage by intimidation. And you can forget about employees being empowered to make decisions.

I thought all of this was tolerable until I could find an opening with another area of the company until this past year. One of the managers started hiring friends and relatives. A total of 6, since their connection to her does not always come out right away, there may be more.

These employees are allowed to get away with everything, and their professionalism, competence, and work ethic are seriously questionable. The double standard that has evolved around this group has brought morale for the rest down the tubes. The office manager and Human Resources person have been approached with this concern, and simply replied that it's not any employee's place to be concerned with or to question the situation.

What can I do? People that are perceived as "rocking the boat" are labeled as troublemakers. I would like to stay with the company but openings with other areas of the company don't happen often. How can the problems be addressed? Have ethical or legal violations occurred?

Answer:
It sounds like you're in a double bind. Your Human Resources and office manager are unsympathetic and any complainers are labeled "troublemakers." How can you fight that? You can't. However, you can vote with your feet. And I suggest that you start walking. This Neanderthal management style isn't illegal but is sure is obsolete.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions?  Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd?  Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, special report)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, special report)
How to Get Your Dream Job (VHS video)

The Resume that Gets Results and the Interview that Gets the Job (37 page, detailed instructions)