Wasta: How Workplace Favoritism Affects Health

Workplace favoritism, often called “wasta” in certain cultures, occurs when personal connections influence hiring, promotions, or access to opportunities. This practice can create an unfair environment where merit is overlooked, benefiting some while disadvantaging others despite their qualifications and efforts.

Experiencing favoritism at work isn’t just a professional hurdle—it can also harm health. Employees facing bias may endure heightened stress, emotional strain, and long-term psychological effects. Understanding these impacts underscores the need for fair workplace practices that promote well-being and productivity.

Stress Response to Wasta in Workplace Environments

When employees perceive that favoritism drives workplace decisions, their physiological stress response intensifies. The body’s reaction to stress is governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates cortisol production. Research in Psychoneuroendocrinology shows that chronic exposure to workplace stressors, including perceived injustice, can dysregulate the HPA axis, leading to prolonged cortisol elevation. This hormonal imbalance contributes to increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and metabolic disturbances, raising the risk of long-term health issues.

Favoritism also activates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the release of catecholamines like adrenaline and noradrenaline. These neurotransmitters prepare the body for a fight-or-flight response, which, while useful in short bursts, becomes harmful when persistently activated. A study in The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that employees experiencing workplace injustice exhibited heightened autonomic nervous system arousal, leading to sleep disturbances, impaired cognitive function, and increased emotional reactivity. Over time, this hypervigilance weakens stress management abilities.

Chronic stress from favoritism can also alter brain function, particularly in areas responsible for emotional regulation and decision-making. Neuroimaging studies indicate that prolonged workplace stress can change the structure of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, which process threats and regulate emotions. Employees who feel powerless in the face of favoritism may experience heightened amygdala activity, increasing anxiety and impairing concentration. This neurological impact can diminish job performance and reinforce feelings of frustration and helplessness.

Psychological Impact of Perceived Unfair Treatment

Perceived unfair treatment in the workplace significantly affects psychological well-being, influencing emotional stability and cognitive function. When employees repeatedly witness favoritism benefiting certain colleagues while their own efforts go unrecognized, resentment and frustration grow. This reaction is often tied to learned helplessness, a psychological state in which individuals feel powerless to change their circumstances. Research in The Journal of Applied Psychology links persistent workplace injustice to higher rates of depression, as prolonged inequity fosters a sense of futility and diminished self-worth.

Unfairness can also erode motivation and job satisfaction. A longitudinal study in Work & Stress found that employees in biased workplaces reported greater disengagement and burnout. This decline in motivation often leads to cognitive distortions, where individuals interpret workplace interactions negatively, reinforcing alienation. Over time, this shift reduces resilience, making it harder to cope with challenges and worsening emotional exhaustion.

Favoritism disrupts workplace relationships, leading to interpersonal conflicts and a diminished sense of belonging. Employees excluded from opportunities may withdraw from workplace interactions or develop adversarial relationships with colleagues seen as beneficiaries of favoritism. A study in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that perceived unfairness reduces trust in leadership, increasing turnover intentions and weakening organizational commitment. This erosion of trust fosters a toxic work culture, making employees more guarded, less collaborative, and less invested in their roles.

Potential Health Consequences of Chronic Stress

Long-term exposure to workplace favoritism can trigger physiological changes that increase the risk of serious health conditions. One well-documented consequence of chronic stress is its effect on cardiovascular health. A meta-analysis in The Lancet examining over 600,000 workers found that prolonged occupational stress raised the risk of coronary heart disease by 23% and stroke by 24%. Elevated cortisol, sustained sympathetic nervous system activation, and increased systemic inflammation contribute to arterial stiffness and hypertension, heightening cardiovascular complications. Employees navigating workplace favoritism may experience prolonged high blood pressure, further straining the heart and vascular system.

Stress-related metabolic disruptions are another concern. Chronic exposure to stress hormones can lead to insulin resistance, increased visceral fat accumulation, and dysregulated glucose metabolism. A cohort study in Diabetes Care found a significant correlation between workplace stress and type 2 diabetes. Repeated stress response activation alters appetite regulation, often promoting unhealthy eating habits that worsen metabolic imbalances. Employees who feel unsupported may turn to comfort eating or experience erratic meal patterns, further exacerbating these issues.

Sleep disturbances are another frequent outcome of chronic workplace stress. Poor sleep is linked to cognitive decline, impaired memory consolidation, and increased neurological disorder risk. A systematic review in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that individuals experiencing prolonged workplace stress were more likely to suffer from insomnia and fragmented sleep. The inability to achieve restorative sleep heightens emotional reactivity, making it harder to manage workplace challenges and reinforcing a cycle of stress and exhaustion. Over time, sleep deprivation contributes to oxidative stress in the brain, accelerating neurodegenerative processes that may raise the risk of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.