How to Make Sure Your Employees Feel Equal

by Stan Mack

Not all employees are equally talented, but treating them equally helps maintain stability in the workplace. For example, a business that lets a star employee behave badly so long as her productivity is high creates a tense situation -- other employees might resent the unequal treatment, which could lower workplace morale. The corresponding loss in general productivity due to low morale isn’t worth whatever value the star employee adds to the business. The most effective approach is to avoid favoritism to ensure all employees believe you value their contributions.

Encourage everyone to offer input. Outspoken and brash employees might dominate group discussions, so take a few moments to query quieter workers. Ask what insights or opinions they have to offer, and incorporate their suggestions whenever possible.

Set up a reward system that recognizes everyone’s effort. Otherwise, a few employees will reap the lion’s share of rewards, leaving others feeling left out and unappreciated. Such rewards as a free lunch for everyone after the successful completion of a project show you appreciate the contributions of the whole team.

Provide opportunities for advancement for everyone. Star employees might not need the same level of training and career guidance that others do, so work with underperforming or new employees to develop their skills. Free classes and training, for example, can enable those with lesser skills to improve themselves, benefiting you by enhancing their performance in the workplace and them by adding to their skill sets.

Monitor everyday operations to prevent unequal treatment. For example, women historically have experienced systemic mistreatment in the workplace, including arbitrarily low pay, sexual harassment and exclusion from circles of power. Develop company policies that prohibit such unequal practices, and stay vigilant to ensure that no person or group of people suffers unequal treatment at the hands of others.


  • Informal behavior -- such as inappropriate jokes, crude comments and interpersonal politics among workers -- can make some employees feel ostracized. While you can’t control every aspect of your employees’ behavior, take a strong, public stand against unequal treatment. For example, notify everyone of behavioral guidelines, and punish infractions swiftly to demonstrate your commitment to equality.

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