Employees and business partners play a significant role in the company; they will either help it flourish or cause it to collapse. Because of this, as an employer, you spend time and money making sure that only competent individuals are hired for a variety of positions.

What transpires, though, when the competent expert is actually a member of your family or a close friend? Most would contend that there is no disadvantage to hiring the said individuals as long as they are sufficiently suited for the post.

How true is this?

Blood isn’t always thicker than water, especially when it comes to business dealings with friends and family. What begins as a seemingly “safe,” mutually beneficial initiative or contact can change into anything from a small humiliation to a massive nightmare, despite the greatest of intentions and the highest of aspirations.

While some companies may claim that they have successfully employed family members without incident, the likelihood of failure outweighs any achievements, if any.

• A deal turns sour: Cybersecurity is a crucial part of a business because there are a thousand things that could go wrong.  For instance, if you were utilizing your friend’s IT company when a data breach occurred, you end up in a costly and nasty impasse. No matter how perfect you believe your plan to be, it’s wise to assume things can and will go wrong.
• The business comes to the get-together dinner: When they leave the office, some people are able to completely switch off from work and establish a clear boundary around their life. The rest of us invariably carry some aspect of our professional life home. At some point when conducting business with relatives and friends, you’ll be there with them at a barbeque, birthday celebration, cocktail party, or wedding. In addition to making you feel uncomfortable, if there is tension between you, it will also likely affect and maybe spread to those nearby. The outcome could range from immediate embarrassment to a complete Hatfield/McCoy catastrophe.
• The bell cannot be un-rung: When you eliminate the “arms-length” and begin conducting business with those who are close to you, you frequently embark on a path that is difficult to alter or turn back. Changing or leaving relationships with friends or family is considerably harder than carrying on as usual, whether it be due to expectations being formed or faulty assumptions being made.

PROS AND CONS

Pro: Intimate Dynamics

Working together can be cozy and enjoyable when you hire family and friends. You can attest to their moral character and work ethics right away. You are already aware of their innate skills, preferences, talents, and skill sets, as well as their advantages and disadvantages and the ideal way to collaborate with them.

Con: Professional Dynamics

It might be difficult to change bad behavior or communication patterns when it comes to family and friends. Furthermore, when a loved one isn’t acting in the best interests of the business, it can be quite tough to confront them. Managing a friend or relative can be challenging at best due to the urge to avoid conflict or wounded feelings; at worst, it can turn into a significant liability.

Pro: The interpersonal connection is established

When deciding whether to partner in business with a close friend or family member, it’s tempting to assume that the organization and partnership will succeed because of the pre-existing bond. The individual taking you into consideration already knows you personally, which makes it simple for them to comprehend your personality, work ethic, and business vision.

Con: The business connection is not established

Although there may already be a strong personal connection, no formal business connection has been made. Even though you may be familiar with their significant other, place of residence, and hobbies, you may not be familiar with how they handle conflict or take criticism.

There is usually a learning curve regarding how both work styles will complement one another when starting a business with family or friends. A commercial connection might not be conceivable if two work styles are never going to complement one another. Take the time to sit down and thoroughly discuss work and management styles to obtain a sense of how the firm will run in order to prevent any relationships from deteriorating.

Pro: Your vision is the same

Friends and relatives were probably involved in the process of getting your business off the ground when you ran your own company because you most likely talked to them about your goals and strategy. It’s even possible that they provided some feedback and assisted in shaping your vision!

For instance, the IT company owned by your friend is likely to share your vision for the company’s success as a result of your own personal growth in branding and vision. They have not only helped you build what you want to achieve, but they also know exactly what you want to do. It just seems sensible that they would assist you in carrying it out as well.

Con: The way to realize that vision might look very different.

Even while the organization may have the same objective and outlook for the future, the road to achieving that vision may be very different. Partners may have different perspectives on how to achieve the final goal due to technical advancements and adopting the best practices. This might potentially lead to conflict or a worsening partnership.

Keep in mind that there are always strings attached even when it seems like there are not.

Of course, it would be wonderful if conducting business with individuals who are closest to us was a safe, enjoyable experience. Undoubtedly, it occasionally goes smoothly, but sometimes it doesn’t. As with many business-related decisions, it can be good to try to foresee the worst-case situation (a mildly irritated acquaintance, public humiliation, or a family who never speaks to you again), and then weigh the benefits, drawbacks, and options. Consider whether the risk is worthwhile and whether you can accept the potential consequences.

THE SOLUTION

Employers have no benefit from appointing family members or friends to positions if other equally qualified individuals would be a better fit. Consider your alternatives carefully before helping someone you know to find employment even if you might feel obligated to do so or that you owe it to them.

Imagine realizing it was a mistake to give your friend or brother-in-law the job since they aren’t meeting your expectations. It will be far more difficult to fire this person than other employees. Why? You have to consider how your choice will affect your connections, which makes you retain unreliable personnel on the job even when you know it would be better to fire them.

The wise decision: hire someone you will have no difficulty firing.

WHY WORK WITH US

To keep it short – we keep things purely professional. We make sure to adopt the best practices in the industry and we take constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow and build trust.

Moreover, we take accountability for our actions. We believe that accountability is a positive, proactive choice to take personal ownership of existing problems and potential solutions – whenever they may arise.

And hey, you can count on us to make sure that things are never awkward.