Favoritism among staff

Sour Lemon · Nov 13, 2018

Any advice on dealing with favoritism among staff? Especially if it's causing a near hostile work environment...?

Details?

adhazelett, LVN, RN · Nov 13, 2018

We've had a change in management and it's coming from there...

Shift discrimination, friendships- things of this nature.

TriciaJ, RN · Nov 13, 2018

The new manager already has friends on the unit? Or is really susceptible to the brown-nosers? Keep a little notebook (not at work) and document each instance of what you think is favoratism. The manager may learn not to be so malleable and correct her own behaviour. Or it gets to the point where she creates a huge morale problem. That's where it will become handy to have the details documented, in case you need to help get rid of her.

Hopefully, one way or another it turns out to be a time-limited problem. But if it gets to the point where your work life is untenable, with no relief in sight, you may have to start looking for the exits.

adhazelett, LVN, RN · Nov 13, 2018

More details - I guess "new" wasn't the right term- "adjusted" because the management in place now was moved up from the floor....

I don't see this person changing for others- and I have already started looking for that mentioned exit.

But in the meantime, we still have to deal somehow and it's causing friction from undue stress. We are trying to back each other but there always seems to be unknowns at every turn...

I'm trying to keep a running record of details as they occur. After I get home each shift...

Thanks for that validation and we will continue on.

Wuzzie · Nov 13, 2018

More details - I guess "new" wasn't the right term- "adjusted" because the management in place now was moved up from the floor....

From my experience this rarely works out well unless the person is an extraordinary individual. My experience also leads me to tell you it will only get worse.

TriciaJ, RN · Nov 13, 2018

The new manager already has friends on the unit? Or is really susceptible to the brown-nosers? Keep a little notebook (not at work) and document each instance of what you think is favoratism. The manager may learn not to be so malleable and correct her own behaviour. Or it gets to the point where she creates a huge morale problem. That's where it will become handy to have the details documented, in case you need to help get rid of her.
Hopefully, one way or another it turns out to be a time-limited problem. But if it gets to the point where your work life is untenable, with no relief in sight, you may have to start looking for the exits.

*favoritism* I hate when I misspell things.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2018

If it's chafing you, can you change jobs? My limited experience is that documentation has limited success; in my last job it finally bothered me enough to quit. Ironically the favoritist boss is now under investigation...

Daisy4RN · Nov 13, 2018

I don't think I have ever worked anywhere that didn't have favoritism, some worse than others. Agree that I would start keeping documentation so you have it if necessary but it usually won't do any good. You need to weigh out your personal situation: is it that bad you cant live with it, do you need to stay/work, can you apply to a different unit, your personal finances etc. Don't make any emotional decisions but if you do leave don't burn any bridges. Most of the time these situations will work themselves out with time, especially if someone is new/new to the position.

adhazelett, LVN, RN · Nov 16, 2018

I appreciate all the feedback- I have already started looking for another job; rumor has it, management has been investigated(for all the good it did). But, you all have to understand, I live in a rural area- changing jobs is not all that easy. When I left my last job(last year) for the current one, it had taken me over a year and a half to finally be interviewed and chosen....there's a lot of favoritism around this area! I guess that's what comes from living in a small area- quiet most of the time but also clique-ish.

We all knew what would happen but had no control...now we are living it. Well, live and learn- I also am in school to leave nursing. If I can hold out until I get far enough along in my new career, maybe I can just jump ship.

Thanks again for validating my own thoughts and giving me the feedback, thoroughly appreciated.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2018

We've had a change in management and it's coming from there...
Shift discrimination, friendships- things of this nature.

Hang it up. Management will always prevail in this sort of mess.