THINK TWICE BEFORE HIRING CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS & FRIENDS

Creating a positive work environment always requires careful planning. Everyone must feel equally valued to do their best work. While it can be tempting to hire a close family member or friend who’s highly qualified, you must carefully consider how well the new person might fit in with your current employees.
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to minimize potential problems. However, before making this type of choice, you should always confer with your business partners and hiring manager about the types of risks set forth below.
Unexpected employee jealousies & tensions can lower workplace morale

• Current employees may fear they’ll never be given a fair chance again to compete for choice assignments and promotions once the new person comes on board;
• Many or most of your conversations with this new individual may cause others to fear that their competing opinions will cease to matter or be respected;
• Employee morale may suffer if your family member or friend is granted any special privileges regarding work hours, early promotions or salary;
• Your new hire must be prepared to receive the “cold shoulder” from others. He or she must be prepared to avoid reacting in an angry or defensive manner;
• Regular chains of command should be honored so that even your friend or family member must remain open to job performance feedback from other employees.

Ways you can try to minimize problems and help your family member or friend succeed

• Openly discuss this hiring possibility with any equal partners in the business, as well as your hiring manager. If any of these people have serious misgivings, always consider hiring a well-qualified newcomer instead. If you’re the company’s only higher-level boss, talk about this hiring idea with another close family member or friend who will confidentially let you know if you’re being reasonably objective;
• Plan on introducing the new person in a staff meeting, clearly noting who he or she will work with on a regular basis. Also, note that the new person is eager to obtain helpful advice from all those already onboard;
• Have a private meeting before hiring the person, explaining the fact that the two of you must exercise strong boundaries at work each day.Topics only important to the two of you concerning family members or other friends should only be discussed during non-work hours to minimize conflicts;
• Require your family member or close friend to sign a binding work contract if all others had to sign one when hired. If no written contracts are being used, make sure this person knows that they’ve been hired for a set trial period, especially if this holds true for all other employees. Clearly explain how you’ll need to end the work relationship if too many special privileges are requested — or sub-standard work is turned in;
• Provide early and regular feedback to your family member or regarding their work. Let this person know that you’ll probably need to let the regular supervisor also offer constructive criticism;
• Do not tolerate any special requests that go beyond what you grant to other employees. This type of activity will undermine your good relationships with other staff members.
• Be realistically prepared to fire this person– sooner rather than later – if others are having to do extra work since your family member or friend isn’t working hard enough.

Fortunately, carefully chosen family members and friends will try hard to succeed if you insist they treat everyone else with respect.  Just remember to remain open to what other employees may tell you about the quality of the new person’s work – and do all you can to help your friend or family member stay open to suggestions for improvement.
Please feel free to contact one of our Murray Lobb attorneys regarding any questions you may have about both routine and complicated employee management issues. We’ve had the opportunity to provide useful legal guidance to businesses of all sizes for many years now.
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