What to Do When Your Boss Favors a Coworker

By Rafael Maga?a

When a colleague has special favor with the boss, it can make others feel inferior. Advantageous treatment can cause resentment, especially when it translates to more pay and less work for the preferred coworker. This kind of behavior seems common at many organizations, but you don't have to resign yourself to the circumstances. While you can't fix everything, use the following tips to deal with this scenario.

Try to Understand the Situation

Attempt to understand why this special consideration exists. If the people involved share a relationship or a close friendship, special treatment might come naturally. Perhaps they have a history together at a prior employer, or the colleague earned trust by excelling at preceding assignments. Once you gain an understanding, it can shed light on the situation.

Don't Place Blame

Even if the favoritism seems unwarranted, don't blame the preferred employee. Usually it's not their fault, and they might even be unaware of special treatment. Even if you find it difficult to work with preferred people, maintain a courteous relationship with them and the boss.

Exercise Patience

Sometimes favoritism seems meritless and benefits a colleague who lacks the proper qualifications. In that case, simply remain patient. The boss might eventually come to the conclusion that his misplaced partiality doesn't create advantages for the company.

Remain Professional

When you do want to talk to the boss, you need to think this through carefully and practice beforehand what to say. Remain calm and professional, and schedule a conference time ahead of time. Don't just stop him in the hallway to complain.

Maintain a Positive Outlook

It's best to exercise a positive outlook with the boss and to avoid mentioning the favoritism he bestows. Instead, try to create a good working relationship by offering help and asking for opportunities. Even if everyone in the office knows about the favoritism, avoid bringing others into the situation because it can backfire and make you look bad.

Use Human Resources as a Last Resort

If your attempts to communicate yield no results or the favoritism causes discrimination, you can involve human resources. This should count as a last-ditch effort. When talking to this department, make sure to have hard data on hand that can prove your position. You may also want to seek advice from an employment attorney to evaluate your situation and determine if harassing behavior or if the conduct of an employee can be determine to be sufficiently severe or pervasive to warrant liability.

Regardless of circumstances, always do your job thoroughly, and express desire to make the company, co-workers and clients look good. If you're completely unhappy with the employment circumstances, maybe it's time to consider newer, better opportunities. Sometimes life presents these types of obstacles in order for people to find better situations at new places. 

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Copyright October 1, 2020 by Rafael Maga?a. Contact for usage license.

Rafael Maga?a helps organizations grow. Helps leaders accelerate strategy implementation in their organizations. Specializes in donor-centered Philanthropy. Major Gift Officer -Veritus Scholar. Director of Development & Communications at Breathe Southern California. Director of Development at the Emphysema Foundation of America. Enjoys writing about leadership, management and careers. Founder of Latino Professionals, Latina Professionals, & Latinx Professionals. He resides in California. Follow Rafael on LinkedIn (17,500+ followers) and on Twitter: @RafaelMagana

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