Understanding International School Workplace Favoritism

co authored by Robert A. Joy (Human Resource Specialist)

Working in an international school setting, leaders and teachers may encounter a school managed by a single board member, filled with family members, or friends of the owner working within the structural or academic organization of the school. While not all international private schools have these characteristics, it is important to have the tools necessary to navigate situations that may cross from professional to personal. This blog aims to provide insights and strategies to help new leaders and teachers navigate and mitigate the adverse impacts of favoritism.

Encountering Workplace Favoritism

Starting new in a founding school and encountering favoritism can sometimes negatively impact one's professional experience. Workplace favoritism is defined as what occurs when leaders show preferential treatment to certain employees based on personal preferences rather than merit or job performance.

One of my clients recently shared how they stepped into a small privately owned founding international school with a single owner board member with working family members in the organization and teaching staff. This leader began to share their observations and experiences of underlying forces from the family and friends which influenced the workplace culture.

Three months into the position, the client began to witness the ongoing prevalence of favoritism in the workplace, such as giving select employees' better opportunities, more desirable tasks, or frequent praise and recognition, despite not necessarily meeting the expected standards of performance. The client noted that they heard from staff how demoralizing it was especially for employees who are diligent, dedicated to their work, and consistently strive to achieve excellence in their roles. The client stated that these hardworking individuals often felt they were undervalued when they witness a family member of the owner being rewarded or promoted due to connection rather than merit. Disparities in recognition and promotion can create an atmosphere of resentment and frustration among the staff, as they may feel that their efforts are going unappreciated while less deserving individuals enjoy the benefits of being connected to the owner.

To mitigate these issues of favoritism, it is important to learn that one must have the mindset of not knowing or understanding the bigger picture and the reasoning behind a decision outcome. When working in small founding niche schools, leaders should always be aware of the following themes. Founding schools hire family and friends because of trust. Trust and belief that they will meet the top priority for any founding school: achieving financial stability and maintaining fiscal solvency. Thus, when it comes to decision making in a small school setting never take a subjective approach. Always be objective when hearing an issue or a decision. In other words, make decisions based on facts and logic, not emotions. Knowing that there is more than one side to a story is important.

Consequences Of Favoritism

Over time, if favoritism remains unaddressed, it can lead to severe erosion of employee morale and deteriorating working conditions. The impact of this favoritism can ripple through the organization, resulting in:

Decreased productivity

Increased turnover rates

Decline in workplace satisfaction

Emotional Exhaustion

Interpersonal resentment

Mitigating Favoritism

It is crucial for new leaders and teachers to recognize the signs of favoritism early on and to understand the potential impact on their roles and the morale of their teams. Addressing favoritism requires a multi-faceted approach that promotes fairness and transparency. Here are a few examples of professional strategies we shared with our client as they encountered favoritism.

1. Clear Policies: Having clear policy guidelines can significantly alleviate the adverse effects of favoritism. Review and update all policy manuals, this will help allow for transparency and consistency of all decisions.

   1. For example- having a policy handbook acts as a safeguard against favoritism, discrimination, and inconsistent decision-making. Most importantly it reduces misunderstandings by ensuring everyone receives the same information.

2. Transparency: Having open lines of communication allows employees to understand the rationale for a decision. Plan for monthly meeting to share upcoming changes or school wide goal achievement.

   1. Example-with transparent policies, leadership and owners can work in tandem by applying rules uniformly, holding everyone to the same standard. If a staff member wishes to leave early for vacation, having a policy with clear guidelines allows for transparency when decisions are made.

3. Fair Performance Evaluations: Use clear criteria and more than one evaluator in performance reviews to reduce bias. Check the process regularly to make sure it stays fair. This process helps both the evaluator and staff member know what their Job description and requirements encompass.

   1. Example- have a clear job description that outlines specific roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations, reducing ambiguity about what each employee is supposed to do. Reviewing job descriptions at staff meetings allows staff to revisit the expectations and know that the process of performance evaluations will be fair.

4. Professional Development: Offering equal opportunities for professional growth and development. Offer training programs, for example offer workshops that use strategies focused on unbiased decision making.

   1. Example-Offering training allows for the staff to learn how to set the tone for workplace culture and accountability. This will reinforce the schools' values, ethics, and expectations for employees.

5. Implementing a Culture of Inclusion: Foster a workplace culture that promotes inclusivity by ensuring every employee feels respected and acknowledged for their contributions. For example, implement regular team recognition meetings where staff can highlight each other’s achievements across departments.

   1. Example-Recognition and celebration of contributions from all departments, not just high-visibility roles. Staff always enjoy whole school family dinner events with awards and raffle prizes.

By using these strategies, our client was able to work successfully with the founding school owner to build and nurture an environment based on trust, equity, and professionalism—ensuring that every team member feels supported and valued. The client started with written policies and worked with the owner to build transparency and instituted professional development to address areas of need. This process has been implemented over the past year. Results are small and incremental, but these initiatives have begun to implement a culture of inclusion. Addressing favoritism is not only essential for staff morale but also critical to the long-term success and sustainability of any educational organization. With intentional leadership and consistent implementation of inclusive practices, schools can cultivate healthy, thriving professional cultures.

In Closing

By understanding the dynamics of favoritism and implementing strategies to promote fairness and transparency, small niche founding schools can mitigate the negative impacts of favoritism. Addressing issues promptly not only enhances trust and cooperation among employees but also strengthens the overall integrity and success of the organization.

If you find yourself in a school environment where professionalism is lacking and instances of nepotism or favoritism are present or, improve and enhance your leadership skills, the International Educational Consultant (IEC) team offers a personal approach to supporting your organization in fostering a culture of professionalism, equity, and accountability.

As international consultants, we delve deep into the cultural nuances and expectations set forth by the Ministry of Education of the respective country, as well as the foundational philosophy, mission, and vision of the school. The International Educational Consultant team will ensure that your organizational policies are a strong strategic tool to support both leadership and teacher professional growth. Please do not hesitate to contact us and establish a connection.