Nepotism: Is it good or bad?

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Weall have family members that we care about and we all want to help them in one way or the other. But is there such a thing as too much help? Yes i think so. Powerful people find it extremely easy to give job opportunities to anyone they want. Most of the time, family is the best option. It is perfectly okay to help anyhow you can just as long as you do not cross the line. I believe that simply giving jobs to your family members is not wrong, it should not be condidered as nepotism. It becomes nepotism when you favour them above other people or give them a position that they do not deserve. Why is this bad? I am just helping a family member, i am trying to help them. Nepotism has a lot of bad effects such as:

1. It leads to resentment among employees. When someone is favoured, the other employees may develop a sense of resentment towards them.

2. It leads to incompetency in the work place because incompetent and unworthy people may be given the job.

3. It leads to inferiority complex among other people because they may feel that they are not good enough but in reality the only thing they do not have is special connections.

4. It leads to high rate of unemployment especially among the common people because they do not have any special ties with anyone powerful.

Helping is good, but nepotism is not. There is a limit and most people do not understand that. There are ways that people can help without engaging in nepotism such as:

1. Simply suggesting the family member without any further help.

2. Training the family member to be able to handle the job.

3. Making sure that the family member follows due process in the process of the audition and does not cut any corners.

There is a thin line b etween helping and nepotism. People need to learn the differnce or it could affect more people than they think.

Comments (23)

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  • Yes, family support feels very good. It's an amazing feeling, knowing that your family members have your back. But it can also be annoying when they are overprotective, or when you see others spoiling their children.
    First of all, let's straighten a few things out. There is a huge difference between family support and nepotism. Let me put is like this. Family support is helping your daughter find a job. Nepotism is using your influence to get your daughter a job, usually in your own company, qualified or not.
    People do need to learn the difference, so they can allow others to have their skills recognized, so that they can succeed too. Nepotism is selfish, as it doesn't allow others to finally have their talents recognized and appreciated. Even though we all love our family, we shouldn't give them an unfair advantage over others. We aren't helping them in any way. Instead, we should let them hone their skills, so that they can be qualified for the job ON THEIR OWN.
    Even if, peradventure, we want to hire a family member in our company, it should never be due to favoritism or "solidarity", but because they are properly qualified and an asset to the business. Nepotism will never allow a business to progress, because creativity isn't flowing in, just family squabbles, and sometimes unqualified workers.

    1. I agree because... Yes, good words. Excessive anything gives an opposite result. Moderation in raising children is better.

  • I totally agree with the points that you raised about nepotism. Yes, there is a thin line between helpfulness and nepotism and it could cause many problems for a workplace if it is crossed. Nepotism could often lead to poor productivity in the workplace because a person might not be able or qualified to do their job and could end up compromising the whole organisation. On thing I would like to add though, is that ways to solve nepotism may not just revolve around training the family member or friend but could sometimes be about learning when to say no to them.

  • I think that nepotism is bad. I think its bad because its the exact same as favoritism. nepotisim is bad because it can be things like getting a job unfair. The way that it can be unfair is because the superior of 2 people or more could choose one person over everyone else. This is why I think that nepotism is bad

  • Nepotism is generally considered a bad thing because it means giving special treatment to your family members or friends, even if they are not the most qualified for a job or opportunity. This can be unfair to others who are more deserving and qualified, and it can also harm the overall success and fairness of an organization or community.

    Let me give you some examples:

    Imagine that your teacher at school always chooses their own child to be the line leader, even though there are other students who have done a good job and deserve a turn. This is nepotism.

    Or, imagine that a company always hires relatives of the boss, even if there are other candidates who have better resumes and experience. This is also nepotism.

    In both cases, the people in charge are favoring their own family or friends over others, which is not fair or ethical. So, it's important to try and treat everyone equally and make decisions based on merit and qualifications, rather than personal relationships.

  • I agree with you that Nepotism is only when you give people things that they don't even deserve . I believe that giving jobs to your family is not wrong it is only wrong when you give them things that they don't deserve .

  • I think that there is such a thing as 'helping out too much', this can be seen quite commonly at times, sometimes there are people struggling at work while the boss could be helping out that one, favourite worker a little too much to the point that the worker uses no effort. What is your opinion on this?

    1. Do you think kindness and help from colleagues can also be motivating?

      1. I think it can be very motivating .In school, when you have difficulty with a math problem and your classmate walks up to you and explains it to you, then you try it out and you get it and the teacher gives you a sticker for a good work, it is an amazing feeling. Likewise when you have difficulty in your workplace and your collegues offer to help you out and they motivate you is really good. Sometimes when you see other people going ahead of you, you feel less than them and incompetent but sometimes some collegues may choose to carry you along with them, pick you up when you fall down, help you in difficult times and correct you when you make a mistake. Kindness and help from your collegues can be very motivating, even a little competition can motivate people too.

    2. I agree because...
      Yes, for example, a good citizen always expects that his sincerity in his work and his commitment to his responsibilities and duties will achieve for him a somewhat integrated human life in a society based on equal opportunities. That is, what true citizenship is based on is the logical and actual connection between positive personal efforts in adhering to the duties of citizenship and calling for their application in daily life and what a free and independent individual can achieve from legitimate personal successes. His moral and patriotic idealism, his commitment to the requirements of true citizenship, and his eagerness to devote national constants in his national environment, did not seem to lead to linking his legitimate hopes and aspirations to success and social advancement  , How can a right citizen continue with his positives and optimism and invite his fellow citizens to practice meaningful citizenship while watching what is happening on the ground??


      I think that here nepotism should be called intercession, because it works to support the oppressed and take away their rights and not favor others over them.

  • We cannot say about nepotism that it is not good, nor do we say that it is good either, because nepotism has its advantages and disadvantages, such as: hiring someone from relatives who has good experience and needs work. This is called help, or if he is unable to do the job, he should train him to be able to take the job, and if he takes an exam for the job, one must not deceive, favoritism, follow the law, and avoid cheating in order to take the exam and see if he is able to Assuming the job, in order to benefit himself, the society and rule with justice, and as we mentioned the advantages of nepotism, it also has disadvantages, such as: preferring people for their kinship and not for their competence, promoting and discriminating those who provide a personal benefit, and also there are those who hire the person because he is close to him and does not have the ability to take over the job, there are people They are waiting for work, they are the first in the job because they may have the ability to do so, and we can avoid nepotism by forming integrity and monitoring committees for those who occupy sensitive positions and making sure that there is no kinship between officials and new employees. All these solutions are not sufficient to avoid nepotism, as it is usually rooted between societies Therefore, we must urge societies not to use them at work and instill love in the hearts of children so that they grow up to love, help and justice, which results in a modest and integrated society free of problems that may lead to its fragmentation. 🌎❤🥰

  • Hello, I agree with your opinion about the great damage of nepotism to society and individuals.
    But I want to add a point that I found through reality that nepotism does not only affect society and deprives people of skill and talent in their rights, but also negatively affects those who perform nepotism.
    They are greatly hated by the honorable and nobles in all walks of life, and their performance in their work and economy declines, their status, their social value, and society’s view of them.

  • Yes, family support feels very good, its an impressive feeling when helping your family but it is not good to help your family member against another person, because it is unfair and injustice, while family support is when you give your family member the position he deserved in your company while nepotism is the is when you give your family member the position in your company he did not deserve, this is the difference between family support and nepotism.a

  • I think nepotism is bad, because it makes one focus on one person over another and
    that makes other person feel bad and that is not fair to the 0ther person.
    Imagine you are working at a supermarket and some staff are given fair treatment while others are not. This will make them feel bad and they can decide to go on strike and make demands that might affect the super market which will make the store lose profit.

  • You make a good point there humorous_personality there .I will want to expantiate more on the part where you said that there is a thin line between helping and nepotism. People need to learn the difference or it could affect more people than they think on Nepotism refers to favouritism based on kinship while Cronyism refers to favouritism based on friendship. Thus, this describes the main difference between nepotism and cronyism.Nepotism vs Cronyism are terms used to denote favoritism to members of one’s family or friends. As humans, favoritism has been part of our existence from time immemorial as it exists at work, within the home, in the different religions in existence, at school, in the marketplace, and in all other places where humans interact. Before we discuss the similarities and differences between nepotism and cronyism, let’s define each term.

  • I agree with this.
    Nepotism in my opinion,is something that should not exist at all in any organisation.When nepotism comes in to play there will be numerous adverse effects such as:
    Reduced productivity, morale, and engagement
    Special treatment.
    Reduced employee development.
    Increased turnover.
    Poor corporate culture.
    Potential lawsuits,etc.
    I personally believe that it is okay to employ people whom you may have close personal relationships with ,however,they must have the necessary employment qualifications and the process of employment should be the exact same as that of a normal employee who you have no personal relationship with.This will help to avoid nepotism in an organisation.
    However,when you simply employ somebody just because of the ties you have with that person,it is completely wrong and unacceptable.

  • Nowadays we use nepotism to refer to the hiring or promotion of a family member ( including in - law) in an organisation. Indeed hiring of relatives in some companies is forbidden by some company policies.

    Nepotism can have advantages and disadvantages. For example hiring relatives is easy and can lead to great trust, if relative gets along and share a common purpose.

    Where nepotism can be problematic is when non relative employees feels that its unfair favouritism and when relative are hired over more competent people.
    Nepotism is bad if the organisation is not a family owned businesses, but if it is a family business it is not bad.

  • I think nepotism in a workplace has many negative connotations and is an unfair practice for a business to undertake. Allowing personal relationships to influence decision-making can create severe consequences for companies.

    It typically reduces organizational performance and worsens work culture with under-skilled employees and management no longer judging employees solely on merit.

    With staff members performing roles, they are incapable of, the overall output of a business is reduced. Limiting opportunities for gifted employees increases employee turnover and creates a talent drain. Showing preferential treatment for specific employees reduces the morale of the wider workforce.

    Nepotism in the workplace also ruins the relationship and trust between staff and leadership and the relationship between staff and favoured employees. This can prevent an open work environment, making staff unwilling to collaborate and expand the organisation’s institutional knowledge.

    Nepotism produces a closed-off system preventing new voices from reaching positions of power. Moreover, it contributes to societal inequality, helping to create an “old boys’ network,” where people maintain control amongst connections usually of the same class or race. In contrast, a meritocracy judges people only on the merit of their work, not who they know, helping to produce social mobility and a fairer society overall.

    While nepotism in the workplace is generally seen as a poor business practice, it can produce upsides in certain circumstances. We don’t criticize small family-run businesses passed down through generations for nepotism. Skills unique to the company and the work ethic that makes it a success are often instilled by parents early, making their children the ideal candidates to continue their work.

    In specific instances, this may be applicable in the wider business world. For example, people close to influential figures may have additional skills due to their proximity to them. However, for it not to be detrimental, the individual hired must be chosen due to their abilities and not only their connections.

  • I would say nepotism is bad. The reason why I say nepotism is bad is because they get things handed to them while the parents work. People in this world are trying to be successful, while people who were born to famous parents are successful just because of their parents. People who are trying to have a better life, and have a new lifestyle have to work very hard to do that, but nepo-babies just have to be a famous person, child, or just related.
    It can cause people to hate on them because of things handed to them, and then all that hate can cause mental health problems. That is why I think nepotism is bad.

  • I do believe there is a difference between helping people and nepotism. Helping people is encouraging people emotionally and physically. An example is helping someone prepare for an audition. Nepotism is taking those steps further in a bad way. For example someone could encourage someone to audition but they know someone that could help that others easily make the cut. This would be nepotism since you would be cutting corners and making it unfair to others. To make the world fair and simply a better place, we should learn the difference between nepotism and helping others.

  • There are many potential effects of nepotism in the workplace. One of the most obvious is that it can lead to unfairness in the distribution of jobs and promotions. Nepotism can also give an unfair advantage to family members who may not be the most qualified for a position, resulting in decreased morale and productivity among other employees. Additionally, nepotism can create tension and conflict among coworkers, as well as resentment from those who feel they have been passed over for a job or promotion. In some cases, nepotism may even lead to legal problems if it is determined that someone was hired or promoted for reasons other than their qualifications.

  • You made a good point when you said there is a thin line between helping others and nepotism. This knowledge has affected a lot of people because a lot of people think they are helping others while they are being nepotist well nepotism is the act of favouring people maybe because they are your relatives. We as humans should try to be well informed so that we won't fall guilty of man's greatest enemy which are: POVERTY, ILLITERACY, IGNORANCE. Some people say ignorance is bliss but ignorance is not always bliss, it is good to be aware of some things.

    1. I agree totally with your comment because, ignorance does not only make us to be lazy and not to be informed it also makes us to lack the nature of being able to discern between good and bad. That is why some people make the mistake of being nepotic whereas they think they are just helping others(their children or relations). People often at times fill their heads with this idea that they are just helping others whereas they do not know to that they are serving as a detorant to someones success. As mentioned earlier there is a thin line between helping others and nepotism. This knowledge has affected so many people and has deprived some of the opportunity of earning well deserved spots in some honourable organizations. The fact you love your family and want to help them does not mean you should hand to them a position that someone out there that knows the responsibities of that position and can handle it better, on a platter of gold. NO it is wrong. If you still desire in helping your family you can support them financially by loaning them an amount of capital, so that they can know the responsibilities they carry and what it means to fend for themselves.

  • It depends if Nepotism is bad or good because if I wanted to become a Baker but my friend's mum wants to give her daughter the job then that is Nepotism in a way whereas my friend's mum wants to give it to her child but she rejects it and I want to do the job, she might not give it to me because she probably wants to give it to her child.

  • I think nepotism is not good because it's not fair to treat people differently. Everyone should be treated the same way and be given equal chances. I understand that we love and care for our family and friends, but if we always give them special treatment, it can make others feel sad and unimportant. We should try to treat everyone fairly so that everyone can get along and be happy together.

  • I like a question and I want to ask it
    Does favoritism benefit people?
    * From my point of view, some people benefit when they aspire to something, but they cannot reach it, and by having the work they dreamed of, they are encouraged and continue on their way.
    * But when people first fall into the hands of the wrong person, they get into all kinds of trouble
    In conclusion, I hope to answer my question and express my opinion with my point of view

  • Welcome
    But you said: Relatives should be employed, but without crossing the line. I will tell you what I understood from your saying "cross the line" and you can cut it off in response to your point of view. I think you mean that you will not hire any of your relatives who has no experience or is unqualified. There are many successful graduates who have experience, but have not obtained any job opportunities yet. I am very sad when seeing a successful graduate who has tired himself and worked hard, but he is not working, while there are children of celebrities or relatives of the director sitting behind desks. I believe that you meant that you would not hire any relative of yours until you interview him, which means taking a job test, and if he succeeds, you will hire him, and if he fails, of course you will not hire him, because there are people who are more worthy than him in this job. Nepotism is something the state must prevent because it is unfair to many. But it is your turn to answer me. Was my belief in its place, that is, that I was able, understand your intent?
    Thanks .

  • I believe nepotism can be good, if the person that has been placed on the ladder of success knows he or she is doing, and if he or she is not there for the good reasons.