So, you’ve started a business of your own. It is hard work, but you know that each day is leading towards the day when you can give up your day job and work the business full-time. However, to run a successful business, a person needs help occasionally.
How will you get this help? When times are tight and the business is just starting out, money is always an issue. To avoid paying another person to do what you need done, you might find a few willing takers in your own family.
I know, I know. I’ve heard it all before. “Never hire Uncle Ben because he is slow or too bossy.” “You are asking for trouble if you choose your brother Chuck to manage the money.” In spite of all that, hiring a friend or relative is too good an offer to pass up. For one, the labor might be cheaper. Family members and friends may work with you if you promise not to harass them too much.
Friends can be a valuable asset. They know you and you know them. That initial phase where you get to learn all about your employees is done away with when working with acquaintances.
Just like there are good reasons to hire a relative to work along with you, there are also enough negative ones. How do I put this: If anyone will do you a disservice, it will be a family member. When you do something positive, they want to take advantage. It is a sad but true fact in a lot of cases.
Business owners are reluctant to address workplace issues with a relative. They feel it will create ill feelings, both with the business and in their personal life. As such, if an employee who happens to break a rule or do something wrong is someone you know, it makes for a tense encounter.
When hiring friends or relatives, choose people that you know will act in a professional manner. They can take criticism and still be productive. When you work with friends, there is a trustworthy person beside you whose decisions donít have to be second guessed.
For business owners, treat your friends as you would any other employee. Some people have made the mistake of paying friends less for more work or more for less work. Since it is a friend, they may take them for granted in the business relationship. They might give them all the grunt work or all the cushy assignments.
The advice is to treat friends just like any other employee. They receive the same treatment and incentives as everyone else. And, if they don’t perform well, they are penalized and, if need be, let go. If you are worried about their reactions, they may not be a good candidate for the job. Mutual respect will ensure that the business relationship is successful.