Favoritism at Work: Signs, Impact, & What to Do About It

What You’ll Learn

If you feel like your boss plays favorites, every assignment, promotion, or workplace decision can start to feel personal. Being repeatedly passed over or treated differently can affect more than your day-to-day work experience. It can shape your confidence, career growth, and decisions about what comes next.

This guide explains what favoritism at work looks like, why it happens, its impact, when it may become a legal concern, how to formally complain about favoritism at work, and when to consider moving on.

What Is Favoritism at Work?

Favoritism at work is special treatment given to certain employees based on personal preferences or relationships rather than job-related factors. It can be intentional or unconscious and may affect how managers or other decision-makers treat employees.

Favoritism isn’t the same as rewarding strong performance. For example, assigning your top-performing employee the company’s biggest account based on their results isn’t favoritism, but giving the account to a less-qualified employee because they’re a manager’s friend could be.

Related forms of workplace favoritism include nepotism, which favors family members, and cronyism, which favors friends or close associates.

7 Signs of Favoritism at Work: Is Your Boss Playing Favorites?

The signs your boss plays favorites can show up across assignments, opportunities, recognition, flexibility, access, and accountability.

Common signs of favoritism at work include:

• 1.

  The same employees get the best assignments. Certain employees consistently receive high-profile projects, desirable assignments, or work that gives them greater visibility and opportunities to advance.

• 2.

  Certain employees get more access to the boss. Your manager regularly includes the same people in important conversations, meetings, or decisions while leaving similarly positioned employees out.

• 3.

  Poor performance is excused for certain employees. Some employees face few consequences for missed deadlines, mistakes, or subpar work that would draw criticism or corrective action for others.

• 4.

  Praise and recognition aren’t distributed fairly. A manager consistently highlights certain employees’ contributions while overlooking comparable work or accomplishments from others.

• 5.

  Certain employees receive special perks or flexibility. Some workers are routinely granted preferred schedules, time off, remote work flexibility, or other privileges that aren’t available to employees in similar circumstances.

• 6.

  Some employees are left out of important opportunities. Qualified employees may repeatedly miss out on training, development opportunities, promotions, important meetings, or chances to take on greater responsibility.

• 7.

  Workplace rules aren’t applied consistently. A manager may enforce attendance, performance, conduct, or other workplace expectations strictly for some employees while allowing favored employees to ignore them.

Any one of these situations may have a reasonable explanation. Multiple signs occurring consistently, especially when the differences can’t be explained by performance, experience, responsibilities, or other job-related factors, can point to a broader pattern of favoritism.

Why Does My Boss Play Favorites? 9 Possible Reasons for Favoritism at Work

Bosses may play favorites because they naturally gravitate toward people they trust, relate to, or work with frequently, and those preferences aren’t always conscious.

Some common reasons for favoritism include:

Favoritism can also be part of overtly unprofessional or toxic workplace behavior, including:

The Impact of Favoritism in the Workplace

Favoritism can hurt workplace trust, employee engagement, and career opportunities by making people feel that performance isn’t the main factor behind rewards or advancement.

Consider these findings from Monster research:

These findings don’t measure favoritism specifically, but they show how poor management, workplace relationships, and perceived opportunities can affect employees and their careers.

Is Favoritism Illegal at Work?

Favoritism itself generally isn’t illegal. It can become a legal issue when employment decisions are based on a protected characteristic or involve conduct prohibited by employment law, such as unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

Federal protections include:

For example, consistently giving better assignments to a close friend may be unfair but not necessarily illegal. Denying opportunities to employees because of a protected characteristic, such as a disability or nationality, could raise concerns about unlawful discrimination.

State and local laws may provide additional protections. If you believe favoritism involves unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, consider speaking with an employment attorney or contacting the appropriate government agency.

Can You Sue for Favoritism at Work?

Ordinary favoritism, by itself, generally does not provide a basis for an employment lawsuit. A potential legal claim may arise when the preferential or adverse treatment is connected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or another legally protected right.

If you suspect favoritism is connected to unlawful treatment, document specific incidents, including what happened, when it occurred, who was involved, and how other employees were treated. An employment attorney can evaluate your circumstances and explain which federal, state, or local protections may apply.

Note: This information is for general informational purposes and isn’t legal advice.

How to Deal With Favoritism at Work: What to Do If Your Boss Plays Favorites

If you’re dealing with favoritism at work, first confirm you’re seeing a pattern, then document specific examples, advocate for yourself, and decide whether to escalate the issue.

• 

  Take an Objective Look at the Situation

  Before acting, separate what you know from what you suspect. Look for repeated differences in how employees with similar roles, experience, and performance are treated, and consider any legitimate reasons for those differences.

  Pay attention to specific actions and outcomes rather than assuming you know your manager’s motives. This can help you decide how serious the problem is and what to do next.

• 

  Focus on What You Can Control

  You may not be able to change your manager’s preferences, but you can control your own performance, communication, and professionalism. Continue meeting expectations, developing your skills, and building relationships across your team and organization.

  Don’t let frustration affect the quality of your work, because maintaining your performance can help protect your position while you decide what to do next.

• 

  Make Your Work & Accomplishments Visible

  Don’t assume your manager knows everything you’re contributing. Keep a record of your work and accomplishments so you can clearly show your value during one-on-ones, performance reviews, and conversations about new opportunities or career growth.

   Track things like:

  • Completed projects and major contributions
  • Measurable results and improvements
  • Positive feedback from clients, coworkers, or leaders
  • New skills or responsibilities you’ve taken on
• 

  Ask for the Opportunities You Want

  Sometimes, what looks like favoritism may partly be a “squeaky wheel gets the grease” situation. Coworkers who regularly ask for new projects, speak up about their goals, or express interest in advancement may be more likely to get those opportunities. Make sure you’re advocating for yourself, too.

  Tell your manager what you’re interested in without framing the conversation around another employee’s treatment. Ask what skills, experience, or results you need to demonstrate to earn similar opportunities.

  For example, if the same coworker keeps getting chosen to lead high-profile projects, tell your manager you’d like to lead the next one and ask what you need to do to be considered. Their answer can clarify your path forward and help you assess whether opportunities are being awarded fairly.

• 

  Get an Outside Perspective

  Talk to someone you trust who isn’t directly involved, such as a mentor, former manager, or trusted professional contact. Share specific examples and ask how they interpret the situation. Their perspective can help you decide how to respond.

  Avoid venting to coworkers, especially about your manager or employees you believe are being favored. Workplace gossip can create more problems without helping you address the issue.

• 

  Protect Your Well-Being

  Ongoing favoritism can be stressful, particularly when it affects your workload, advancement, or sense of belonging at work. Set boundaries where you can, use available time off, and make space for activities and relationships outside of work. If work stress consistently affects your health or personal life, consider whether the situation needs to change.

• 

  Decide If the Favoritism Needs to Be Reported

  Not every instance of unfair treatment requires a formal complaint. Consider reporting favoritism when it becomes a repeated pattern with real consequences, such as:

  • Being passed over for promotions despite meeting the stated requirements
  • Having policies enforced against you while favored employees receive exceptions
  • Losing assignments, responsibilities, or other opportunities without a clear job-related reason
  • Facing worse treatment after raising a concern

  Reporting may be especially important if the behavior affects your pay, advancement, or working conditions; violates company policy; or may involve discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

How to Complain About Favoritism at Work: 6 Steps

If you’ve decided to formally complain about favoritism at work, document specific examples, follow your employer’s reporting process, and explain how the behavior is affecting your work rather than focusing on your manager’s motives.

It’s understandable to worry about retaliation after speaking up, but don’t let that stop you from raising a legitimate concern. Document what happens before and after your complaint to protect your interests if your treatment, responsibilities, opportunities, or working conditions change.

Follow these steps to formally report favoritism:

• Step 1:

  Read Your Employee Handbook

  Check your employer’s policies for reporting workplace concerns. Look for instructions on who to contact, how to submit a complaint, and any documentation you’re expected to provide.

• Step 2:

  Document Specific Examples

  Write down specific incidents that demonstrate the pattern you’re reporting. Include dates, what happened, who was involved, and any relevant emails, messages, assignments, performance records, or other documentation.

  Keep your personal notes somewhere you can access independently of your employer’s devices or accounts, while following company policies and protecting confidential or proprietary information.

• Step 3:

  Decide Who to Talk To

  Follow your employer’s reporting process to determine who should receive your complaint, such as your manager, their supervisor, or human resources.

  If your manager is an appropriate contact and you haven’t raised the broader issue with them, consider starting there. If you’ve already tried or don’t feel comfortable approaching them, use another reporting channel.

• Step 4:

  Explain the Impact, Not Just the Favoritism

  Explain how the behavior is affecting your work, pay, responsibilities, advancement, or working conditions. Connect your examples to concrete outcomes rather than simply saying the situation feels unfair.

  Also be clear about what you’re asking for. You might request a review of how assignments are distributed, clarification of promotion criteria, more consistent application of a workplace policy, or another specific change that addresses your concern.

• Step 5:

  Put a Formal Complaint in Writing When Appropriate

  If you’re making a formal complaint, follow your employer’s process for submitting it in writing. Clearly describe the behavior, provide your strongest examples, explain the impact, and state what you’d like the employer to review or address.

• Step 6:

  Know What to Expect After You Report Favoritism

  Your employer may ask follow-up questions, review records, or speak with other employees as part of its response. Continue documenting relevant events after you report the issue, including any changes in your assignments, treatment, responsibilities, or working conditions.

  If you experience possible retaliation after making a complaint, document what happened and follow your employer’s process for reporting that concern.

How Do You Know When to Stay or Walk Away?

Consider staying if your employer takes your concerns seriously, the situation improves, and you still have opportunities to grow. If favoritism continues to limit your career, affects your well-being, or gets worse after you speak up, it may be time to consider quitting.

Move Forward If Favoritism Is Holding You Back

Experiencing favoritism at work can teach you a lot about yourself, personally and professionally. Speaking up may strengthen your self-advocacy, problem-solving, and conflict-management skills, or it may give you the clarity to recognize when change isn’t coming.

Either way, how you respond can shape what comes next, from improving your current situation to finding a better opportunity elsewhere.