By: Dr. Stephanie Diana Eubank DBA

The “pet to threat” phenomenon describes a workplace dynamic in which a highly valued employee is initially supported, mentored, and celebrated, only to become viewed as a threat once their competence, influence, visibility, or independence grows. The concept has been associated with the work of Dr. Kecia Thomas and has been discussed extensively in relation to workplace bias, favoritism, and changing power dynamics.

Remote and hybrid environments can unintentionally amplify favoritism, visibility disparities, and proximity bias. Employees who are physically present may receive more recognition, developmental opportunities, and informal access to decision makers than equally qualified remote workers. When combined with the pet-to-threat dynamic, high-performing employees can find themselves excluded from opportunities, meetings, and sponsorship relationships.

When employees believe advancement depends more on politics, favoritism, or maintaining a leader’s comfort than on performance, trust declines. Employees may engage less, withhold ideas, avoid innovation, and seek opportunities elsewhere. Team cohesion suffers because employees begin competing for visibility instead of collaborating. In remote and hybrid settings, this can occur quietly and remain undetected by leadership for extended periods.

Organizations that fail to address pet-to-threat behaviors risk losing their highest-performing employees. Research on remote work suggests that employee well-being, connection, fairness, and leadership quality are significant drivers of retention. When employees perceive unfair treatment, exclusion, or favoritism, turnover intentions increase regardless of work location.

How Companies Can Address the Problem

• Use objective performance metrics and promotion criteria.
• Create transparent career development pathways.
• Train managers to recognize favoritism and proximity bias.

The pet-to-threat phenomenon is not simply an individual leadership problem. It is an organizational risk that can undermine trust, increase turnover, and damage workplace culture. In remote and hybrid workplaces, leaders must intentionally design fair systems that reduce favoritism, limit proximity bias, and ensure all employees have equal opportunities to contribute and succeed.

References (APA 7th Edition)

Donahue, K., Gilbert, T., Halpert, M., & Robertson Migas, P. (2021, June 29). The infuriating journey from pet to threat: How bias undermines Black women at work. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeseq/2021/06/29/the-infuriating-journey-from-pet-to-threat-how-bias-undermines-black-women-at-work/

Dutot, V., Lichy, J., Doargajudhur, M., & Orhan, M. A. (2026). Hybrid work and relational dynamics: Leadership, favoritism and employee outcomes. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-01-2026-0062

Lasisi, T. T., Constanta, E., & Eluwole, K. K. (2022). Workplace favoritism and workforce sustainability: An analysis of employees’ well-being. Sustainability, 14(22), 14991. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214991

Lezcano, A. M., Zajac, S. A., Johnson, S. K., & Holladay, C. L. (2026). Rethinking return-to-office: The positive impact of remote work on well-being, connection, and employee retention. Frontiers in Psychology, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1848857

Lezcano, A. M., Zajac, S. A., Johnson, S. K., & Holladay, C. L. (2026). Rethinking return-to-office: The positive impact of remote work on well-being, connection, and employee retention. Frontiers in Psychology, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1848857

Conclusion

The pet-to-threat phenomenon is not simply an individual leadership problem. It is an organizational risk that can undermine trust, increase turnover, and damage workplace culture. In remote and hybrid workplaces, leaders must intentionally design fair systems that reduce favoritism, limit proximity bias, and ensure all employees have equal opportunities to contribute and succeed.

Book Information   
 Remote Work Is Here to Stay: Rethinking Operations Management in the Modern Work Era   
 Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5BPJCHJ   

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