Nepotism, the unprofessional act of providing or receiving special treatment due to a family relationship or friendship, can cause a lot of damage to a business, affecting the level of satisfaction among employees. Imagine working diligently for a promotion only to find out that some other guy got it just because he’s related of the company’s owner. This kind of unprofessionalism can lead spoiling of employee morale and causes a lot of resentment among workers, particularly those who have been at the job for a long time without much movement toward a better position. On the other hand, those who are receiving preferential treatment from their boss may find it difficult to keep friends at work. You cannot just march straight into your boss’s office and scream nepotism. There are a series of steps that you must follow. So, if you are facing favoritism at workplace, here are a few tips you can follow:
1) Check the situation: The first thing to do in these kinds of situations to check before you claim Nepotism because the person might be chosen for the job for his/her qualifications and experiences and not just because of the fact that they are related to their boss. Nepotism may not be a valid concern if the accused person is truly qualified to hold the position.
2) Document Particular Incidents involving Favoritism: Contacting HR department with complaints and no evidences won’t change things a bit and might make it worse for you. It is important to gather information, witnesses, incidents, dialogue, any irregularities that you have observed, and any other additional supporting evidence before taking any other action.
3) You should be best at your Job: Exposing this kind of information is quite a risky job and would probably make you a target of a lot of backlash from certain coworkers. So, you must be best at your job and not give them a reason to target you. Focus on maintaining a professional attitude and a strong performance.
4) Try to relieve you of Stress: Tackling with nepotism at work can be very stressful and takes a lot of patience. So, try to do activities that relieve you of stress, whether it is cooking, watching TV, Sports or even seeing a therapist. Meditation is considered the best for keeping your stress levels in check.
5) Have a confidential HR Appointment: Once you believe you’ve gathered enough information, then only approach HR to set up a meeting. Discuss your concerns with the HR department and try to make it about the company and not about you because the conversations are recorded. Schedule the meeting at a concealed location to avoid any unwanted attraction.
