Supervisor Diary: Why Being Fair Feels Harder Than Being Kind
- Myeonghwa Kong
- Nov 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Even as a supervisor, I’m human—I naturally have preferences. There are tasks I’d rather assign to certain people because I know they’ll handle them well, or avoid giving someone a task I think they might struggle with. But our team members have different personalities and strengths. Assigning work only to one person causes complaints and frustration. I quickly realised that fairness had to be my guiding principle, not just convenience.
Fair Distribution in Action
For those struggling: Giving someone a task they find difficult can feel uncomfortable. I worried they might fail, or that I’d need to step in repeatedly. But avoiding it doesn’t help anyone. I had to let them take responsibility while providing support.
For high performers: It’s tempting to assign the most challenging or visible tasks to the people who excel. Yet even they get fatigued, frustrated, or demotivated if the workload becomes disproportionate. Complaints arise even from the most capable staff.
I realised that fairness doesn’t mean equal effort, but equitable opportunity. It’s about designing a rotation where everyone contributes according to ability, while supporting those who need guidance. My role isn’t just to complete tasks myself—it’s to ensure the team grows and succeeds together.
Learning to Let Go
Previously, I could quietly solve most problems myself—it was easier and faster. But now, with multiple responsibilities and a team to manage, that’s no longer possible. I’ve learned that creating a fair workflow structure isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s about trust, guidance, and letting people rise to the challenge. How do other supervisors approach fairness? Do they push through and hope for the best, or is there a method to truly balance workload and responsibility?
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