Bringing people you know and trust into the workplace isn’t always a bad call.īut the message this sends to other employees about how their hard work and loyalty will be recognised must be considered. Hiring relatives and family members might be cost effective.
Preferential treatment at workplace free#
There are no laws against nepotism, therefore any employer is free to hire anyone based on their close family ties. Nepotism differs from favouritism in that it concerns preferential treatment on the basis of non-work connections, a relative, friend or family member. Favouritism on the basis of friendship is where the overlap with nepotism begins.Ī nepotism definition: “The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.” This is acceptable and even to be encouraged where it reinforces desired employee behaviour.įavoritism can be problematic and even stray into discrimination where preferential treatment can be said to be based on reasons like personality, mutual interests or – critically – any of the characteristics protected in the equality rights act. A line manager can show favouritism towards certain employees for good reasons, like they’re a hard worker or a top performer. Nepotism and favouritism are often used interchangeably, and although there is definitely some overlap, they don’t mean quite the same thing.Ī favouritism definition: “The practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.”įavoritism is a wider term that can encompass a broader spectrum of preferential treatment.
What is the difference between nepotism and favouritism? Hence, nepotism is bad for business, bad for employees and morale, and in some cases it risks leaving employers open to accusations of discrimination. Positions, promotions, pay increases, preferable work assignments – opportunities are given to individuals based on who they know, relatives or friends, rather than other employees who may rightly feel aggrieved. Nepotism happens more commonly in smaller businesses, but in larger organisations also. This is what we call nepotism, where an employer or decision maker hires or otherwise favours their family members or friends. Where it becomes problematic for employers is where those non-work networks and relationships - friends and family – influence workplace decisions. Cultivating a personal network of contacts and acquaintances is one of the fundamentals of the business world. Everyone will have heard this before, and it would be naive to assume there’s no truth in it. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
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