Supervisor Foundations · Lesson 6.5
FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK
Supervisors may work with:
- friends
- relatives
- longtime colleagues
- community members
- people they personally dislike
Relationships exist.
The professional question is:
Do those relationships influence workplace decisions unfairly?
Potential risk areas include:
- shifts
- leave
- workload
- promotions
- access to opportunities
- discipline
- recognition
- confidential information
- exceptions
Poor
“She is my friend, so I know she would never do that.”
Better
“I know her personally, but I still need to look at the facts the same way I would for anyone else.”
WORKPLACE EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1 — SMALL BUSINESS
The supervisor’s cousin regularly receives first choice of shifts.
Other employees begin to notice.
EXAMPLE 2 — SCHOOL
A supervisor’s close friend is allowed to submit reports late without follow-up.
Others are corrected for the same behavior.
EXAMPLE 3 — RETAIL
A supervisor dislikes one employee personally and assumes that employee is responsible whenever something goes wrong.
Personal dislike can distort judgment too.
EXAMPLE 4 — OFFICE
A supervisor hears a complaint about a longtime friend.
The relationship should not automatically make the complaint true or false.
Remember
Favoritism can come from liking someone.
Bias can also come from disliking someone.
Workplace action
Ask: Would I respond the same way if this were a different employee?
Quick Check
Which behavior creates the greatest fairness risk?