Blatent Nepotism At Work (Can Anything Be Done)?

estebanrey · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:35

A colleague of mine has just been told he was unsuccessful for a recent opening he'd applied for and that the successful candidate was the son of the sector senior manager.

Now here is some basic facts, my colleague is in his late 30s, has a degree, has worked there for 15 years, has a lot of knowledge of our policies, knows the application system we use inside out, has been working in the department offering the job for a couple of months and he could do the job standing on his head.

The son of the sector boss (who is the boss of the two people who conducted the interviews) is 22, just left Uni with an unrelated degree and has barely been temping at our place for 6 months doing a fairly menial job that is completely unconnected to the role he's just got.

This isn't a case of sour grapes and not a single person at my place thinks this was anything other than a fix. I'm annoyed because whilst I didn't apply for the role myself it is a grade higher so now have to see someone earn more than me despite knowing and being able to do a lot less. My colleague on the other hand is understandably fuming.

The problem he has is the sector boss is also ultimately his boss so if he posts any kind of complaint which doesn't result in the sector boss being fired for corruption he would be frozen out and life could be made pretty difficult for him.

Now when it comes to private businesses and CEO's hiring their family then whilst annoying it's kind of their business, their rules but we work in the public sector so I was wondering if there are any formal routes my colleague can take?

oldbag · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:36

Nope, other than get another job, afaik.

Surfer · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:37

Welcome to Life (TM)

and no doubt there is anything that can be done...just one of the perks of life.

MooMoo444 · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:38

Welcome to life. It's not what you know, but who you know (or who you're related to)

MrMoonX · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:38

nepotism is rife in the public sector im afraid

Mr Badger · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:42

If no one wants to pursue a formal grievance, is there a confidential whistle blowing policy you could use to flag up the concern? Either that or go to the press

estebanrey · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:44

MrMoonX said:
nepotism is rife in the public sector im afraid

Well that's true. From my colleague's point of view his line manager has her sister working in the same department. Her boss, has his daughter working in the department, his boss is the sector boss who now has his son in that department and going even higher and his boss (head of service) has his son in a made-up apprenticeship working in the garages.

I'm used to it but usually they are at least a bit sly about it, they will come in at the very bottom and then they at least have to wait until promotions become available. In this case the son has got a job which pays £26-£30k a year and puts him straight into the top half of earners in that office block. It's not even hidden this time which is what is really annoying everyone.

atpbx · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:46

These issues are usually easily sorted, leave them to it.

If he is unable to the job, let him fail, don't correct mistakes, don't offer to help, leave him to his own devices, if the appointment is a mistake then it will become apparent in short time.

Squark · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:47

Yeah, don't do his work for him, let his incompetence at the position show.

[FnG]magnolia · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:51

I can see why a department head would not want to employ someone who has been there 15 years and could do the job standing on his head. Perhaps they're looking for someone less institutionalised and with some ambition to strecth themselves and learn.

Burnsy2023 · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:55

estebanrey said:
Now when it comes to private businesses and CEO's hiring their family then whilst annoying it's kind of their business, their rules but we work in the public sector so I was wondering if there are any formal routes my colleague can take?

Public sector eh? Which branch? You don't need to be specific but if it's civil service then they're bound by the civil service code, so you could look at a grievance there.

elmarko · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:56

estebanrey said:
A colleague of mine has just been told he was unsuccessful for a recent opening he'd applied for and that the successful candidate was the son of the sector senior manager.

Now here is some basic facts, my colleague is in his late 30s, has a degree, has worked there for 15 years, has a lot of knowledge of our policies, knows the application system we use inside out, has been working in the department offering the job for a couple of months and he could do the job standing on his head.

The son of the sector boss (who is the boss of the two people who conducted the interviews) is 22, just left Uni with an unrelated degree and has barely been temping at our place for 6 months doing a fairly menial job that is completely unconnected to the role he's just got.

This isn't a case of sour grapes and not a single person at my place thinks this was anything other than a fix. I'm annoyed because whilst I didn't apply for the role myself it is a grade higher so now have to see someone earn more than me despite knowing and being able to do a lot less. My colleague on the other hand is understandably fuming.

The problem he has is the sector boss is also ultimately his boss so if he posts any kind of complaint which doesn't result in the sector boss being fired for corruption he would be frozen out and life could be made pretty difficult for him.

Now when it comes to private businesses and CEO's hiring their family then whilst annoying it's kind of their business, their rules but we work in the public sector so I was wondering if there are any formal routes my colleague can take?

Your best bet is to contact HR anonymously if you feel the recruitment process is being abused (assuming you have a HR department).

In my company if a person is recruited the manager has to just a list of justifications as to why that person is being selected (specifically), if challenged this will explored to determine if anybody is playing favourites.

MrMoonX said:
nepotism is rife

Fixed.

atpbx said:
These issues are usually easily sorted, leave them to it.

If he is unable to the job, let him fail, don't correct mistakes, don't offer to help, leave him to his own devices, if the appointment is a mistake then it will become apparent in short time.

The amount of incompetent people with long-term cushy jobs I've worked with seems to indicate others - if his senior management are not looking to get rid of him I doubt his incompetence will be punished.

jak731 · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:57

[FnG]magnolia;25465906 said:
I can see why a department head would not want to employ someone who has been there 15 years and could do the job standing on his head. Perhaps they're looking for someone less institutionalised and with some ambition to strecth themselves and learn.

This is the public sector we're talking about : p

Low risk appetite and all that.

oldbag · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:57

[FnG]magnolia;25465906 said:
I can see why a department head would not want to employ someone who has been there 15 years and could do the job standing on his head. Perhaps they're looking for someone less institutionalised and with some ambition to strecth themselves and learn.

Unlikely, bosses want to look good and get up the chain. Surrounding themselves with a good team is the way to do it. Unless the boss is a complete moron.

NiCkNaMe · 10 Dec 2013 at 18:59

If he's as awesome as your making out tell him to hit the job market, he'll have no problem.

Promotion should never, ever be based around age or length of service...organisations who do this are crap and deserve to fail.

[FnG]magnolia · 10 Dec 2013 at 19:02

oldbag said:
Unlikely, bosses want to look good and get up the chain. Surrounding themselves with a good team is the way to do it. Unless the boss is a complete moron.

My point is that someone who can "do it standing on his head" doesn't necessarily make him a good fit for the team. Why is this person looking to move into the role if it's so easy for him? Does he want the easy life and lacks any ambition or courage? Is he just in it for a pay rise? Has he peaked and can't develop any more? There are lots of reason that this type of person is overlooked when recruiting to build high performing teams.

G|mp · 10 Dec 2013 at 19:03

"It's not what you know, it's who you know"

Fact of life, like atpbx says, sit back and wait for him to fall on his face if he's not suitable for the job it should show pretty quickly.

Jono8 · 10 Dec 2013 at 19:03

Better get used to it, life 101.

Though Nepotism will be part of the undoing of the western economy.

Deleted member 77746 · 10 Dec 2013 at 19:05

Nothing you going to do will change anything. Public sector life I'm afraid. They may be rules and regulations protecting but these people know the score. They just have to make up a criteria that they think is better than what any other candidate has and bobs your uncle and fanny is your aunt. Not a thing you can do about it. I'm talking from experience. I also work in public sector.