Realizing that actual treatment in a team might actually be unfair.

Early on, I thought that being fair meant treating every single direct report identically. Same check-in frequency, same oversight, same expectations across the board.

Lately I am realising that the approach falls flat.

People come in with vastly different skill levels, confidence, and experience. Giving a senior team member the same level of gradual check-ins as a struggling junior hire isn't fair-it's micromanagement for one and neglect for the other.

My goal is moving towards equity(giving people what they need) over equality( giving everyone the same thing). But the friction comes when trying to keep things transparent. If Team Member A sees Team Member B getting away more flexibility or 1:1 time, the optics can get messy fast.

How do you handle this on your teams? How do you tailer your management style to the individual without creating a culture that feels like favouritism ?