The wrong question

Too often, when managers and HR professionals get employee requests for special treatment, accommodations, or departures from policy, they ask themselves the wrong question:

• What if another employee finds out, and then asks for the same special treatment, or accuses us of not treating everyone equally?

This question is common, understandable, and well meaning. HR pros and good managers know that different treatment (or as the lawyers say, disparate treatment, which means "Look at me: I went to law school and learned how to talk different. I mean, disparate. D'oh!") can potentially lead to discrimination lawsuits. The problem is that when you treat people uniformly, you end up treating them uniformly badly.

So this is the wrong question to ask.

The right question to ask is this:

• If I was requesting this special treatment in the same situation, would I think I deserved it?

If your being-honest-with-yourself answer is yes, then you should try to find a way to grant the request. Of course, don't discriminate (there are, like, laws against doing that). But don't disgruntle one employee just because other employees might not get the same treatment.

You'll end up with the wrong answer.

Comments

[Philip Miles]

As one of the legal dorks who uses words like "disparate" I'd like to point out that the law sometimes requires special treatment. Specifically, I'm thinking of the ADA mandate to provide "reasonable accomodations" to those with disabilities.

[Frank Roche]

It's so funny, my business partner were talking about a similar thing when it comes to raising kids. She has twins -- a boy and a girl -- and says she has conversations with the girl all the time because she expects more from her. At age 10, she's more mature and has more responsibilities. She also gets more benefits. And all of that is okay.

I really like what you say: Don't disgruntle one employee just because other employees might not get the same treatment. So true.

And I'm laughing about "disparity" and going to law school to learn big words. LOL.

[michelle @ tanenbaum]

@philip, ditto for religion. we hear from too many orgs with employees who are concerned about the special treatment co-workers with religious needs receive, where special treatment really = title vii-mandated accommodation.

(caveat: yes, there are some religious needs that can't be accommodated without burdening the company. but that doesn't make a reasonable accommodation "special treatment.")