Favouritism towards friends and relatives, or nepotism, is a thorn in businesses everywhere. In Third-World countries like Bangladesh, whose societies have their foundations on relatives; nepotism is inevitable and is something to keep an eye on. Nepotism is rooted in society, where association and bonding take priority over qualification and merit. Others argue that nepotism gives rise to trust and dedication, but ultimately, such practices negatively influence economic development, professional integrity, and staff morale.
Nepotism is practiced in the private and governmental sectors in Bangladesh. Private companies and governmental departments prioritize relatives and personal friends while favouring candidates with greater capability and qualifications. Strong affinities of favour and relatives influence the culture; therefore, influential personalities do not feel any inhibition in giving jobs to their relatives or personal friends.
In government departments, relatives always have a preference for recruitment and promotion. So, less efficient officers hold vital positions, compromising on efficient administration. In private enterprises, business is in families' hands, and such businesses, recruitment is discriminatory towards relatives, and vital positions fall in relatives' laps rather than professional officers.
One of the severe limitations of nepotism is low business efficiency. If employees are given jobs based on personal acquaintance and acquaintance and not on capability, companies lose hold on sound judgment and operation. Incompetent staff with no requisite skill and experience do not do their job; therefore, their overall business is low.
Furthermore, favouritism in promotion and reward is also discouraging for hardworking employees. Promotion and reward on personal grounds and, rather than on their job, devalue and deject talented professionals. Employees lose their eagerness to do good and either resign or lose their spirit to do good. In time, favouritism destroys an organization's capability to compete in the market, and ultimately, there is monetary and reputational loss.
Workplace morale is compromised to a great extent if favouritism is practiced. Employees who feel disadvantaged by favouritism develop ill feelings towards their managers and fellow employees. The result is an adverse atmosphere where collaboration and teamwork are replaced by distrust and misery.
Employees who have achieved their jobs through favour may also feel entitled, seeing their jobs protected by their families. Such may lead to poor attitude, lack of accountability, and poor job habits. Others who have earned their jobs but have been passed up for promotion may feel unfairness, thus low productivity and staff turnover.
Nepotism and corruption usually go hand in hand; no exception is made in Third-World countries like Bangladesh. If such leaders with no qualifications or capability take power, there is more opportunity for them to fall to corruption to maintain power. If such leaders rise to power on their merits, there is more opportunity for them to be unable to do their job and instead fall to bribes, favours, or any unethical means to maintain their influence.
In the political system, nepotism facilitates rampant corruption by building webs of power immune to accountability. Nepotism-assured employment by ruling politicians protects them, and no profound reorganization is ever planned. Nepotism causes governmental services inefficiency, waste of resources, and bad fiscal management. Thus, crucial governmental services such as health, education, and physical facilities decline, and their impact on daily life for regular folks is negative.
The long-term economic impact of nepotism is very bad. Economic growth is hindered if businesses prioritize personal connections over talent. Business ventures relying on nepotism rather than talent do not advance and keep pace with global markets; therefore, their pace of innovation and competition is low.
Nepotism impedes developing countries like Bangladesh, where economic improvement is vital for poverty alleviation. Without fair opportunity for capable individuals, there is a poor quality labour market, with insufficient qualified professionals who either lose their jobs or are under-employed. The consequence is brain drain, where professionals immigrate to where there is a fair opportunity, hence retarding Bangladesh's development.
Nepotism also dissuades foreign investment. Foreign investors favour businesses where employees are employed on merit and on the doctrine of efficiency and not acquaintance. If businesses in any country favour corruption, they may invest in any other country and thus withhold necessary economic help for Bangladesh.
Although nepotism is rooted in culture in Bangladesh, it means checking for such influence and promotion in the organization, and merit culture does exist. Having strict recruitment practices in private and governmental sectors is one of the most powerful means of doing so. Private and governmental institutions and companies should have clear and transparent recruitment systems where individuals are employed based on their capability, qualification, and experience, not acquaintances. Private recruitment companies might have an integral role in ensuring fairness and openness in recruitment.
Another crucial factor is the passing of anti-nepotism acts. The states where favouritism is repressed have strong acts against favouritism in recruitment. The Bangladesh government must pass and execute acts prohibiting officials from appointing relatives to positions on any grounds except merit. Protection for whistleblowers is to be prioritized to allow employees to pass complaints of favouritism against their officials free of any threat.
Public awareness and education also stop nepotism. If people have an education on ill effects of nepotism, they might protest against discriminatory recruitment. Civil society institutions and the media have crucial roles in bringing them on board and compel governments to take action.
Nepotism in business is rampant in third-world countries like Bangladesh and is affecting economic development, job satisfaction, and productivity. In the short term, it does good to individuals; in the long term, its effect is adverse to business and the economy in general. Nepotism, by rewarding acquaintance rather than ability, dissuades able individuals, promotes corruption, and retards economic advancement. Addressing nepotism needs to assume collaborative endeavors by policymakers, entrepreneurs, and society. Anti-nepotism acts, stern recruitment practices, and publicity campaigning to sensitize on greater sensitization on the topic can ensure such an environment is developed where talent and industry prevail and personal acquaintance is secondary. Only through such states, such as Bangladesh, can we envision an inclusive and more prosperous future where talent and industry prevail and personal acquaintance does not.
The writer is an Online Editor, Daily Business Mirror
