Does your business have an us vs them problem?
Your day shift gets certain benefits. Your night shift gets different ones. Both sides think the other has it better.
Whether it's office staff vs tradespeople on site, shop assistants vs delivery drivers, or kitchen vs front of house, the same problem emerges.
When your team feels unfairly treated, they don't just grumble and get on with it. They leave for competitors and tell others not to work for you.
With a tight-knit team, you can't afford to lose anyone over workplace tensions that could have been prevented.
What should you tell people?
You need to explain the differences before someone asks. In your situation, assumptions spread quickly:
• Why some people start early and others start later
• Why certain roles get call-out rates or overtime
• Why only some jobs get safety bonuses or travel allowances
• Why equipment, like laptops or tools, are provided for specific roles
When someone asks "why do they get that and we don't?" give them a proper answer.
How can you help teams to understand each other?
Teams working in different places think the other lot have it easy.
Office staff think site work is straightforward. Tradespeople think office work is just sitting around.
These assumptions create tension where everyone needs to work together:
• Get teams to briefly explain what they're dealing with this week
• Plan events that work for different schedules - not just after-office-hours drinks
• Let people see what others actually do
• Stop assuming everyone can attend the same meetings or events
Mutual respect matters more when everyone interacts regularly.
Which rules should be the same everywhere?
Some things have to be different - safety gear, working hours, job-specific kit.
But basic policies must be consistent:
• How you handle poor performance
• How people book time off
• What happens when someone has a problem
• How people can develop their skills
• How disciplinary matters work
Inconsistent treatment gets noticed immediately and creates lasting resentment.
How do you make sure everyone feels appreciated?
Don't just celebrate one type of achievement.
If you're praising sales results, also celebrate safety records, customer feedback or project completion.
Think about how different people want recognition:
• Office staff might like team emails or social media mentions
• Site workers might prefer recognition at morning briefings
• Some people want public praise, others prefer vouchers or early finishes
• Your delivery drivers might value different rewards than your shop staff
Recognition has more impact when everyone knows each other.
Why does this matter for your business?
When teams understand each other and feel fairly treated, several things happen.
The complaining stops and people help each other out during busy periods. You keep good staff because they feel valued, regardless of their role.
You avoid legal complaints that could seriously damage your business. Your operation runs better when different parts work together instead of against each other.
Most importantly, you build a workplace where good people want to stay, even when competitors try to poach them.
Ready for a culture check?
If you're seeing tension between different parts of your team, or someone's raised questions about fairness that caught you off guard, it's worth having a conversation.
These issues escalate quickly but they're also easier to fix when you catch them early.
We'd be happy to chat through what's working well and spot any potential problems before they grow.
Drop us a message and we can arrange a time to talk through your situation.