Hiring family members can be illegal or discouraged in some sectors. Employers should consider the legality, qualifications, impact on other employees, and potential dual relationships. Defining the working relationship and holding family members to the same standards as other employees is important.
Family hiring is not an unusual practice. There are many thriving businesses where some or most of the employees have a family connection. A number of considerations apply to the practice of hiring family members. Bosses or owners must first ascertain the legality of hiring a relative, because in the public sector or in some sectors heavily regulated by governments, this is a practice that can be illegal or discouraged. In addition, owners or managers must clearly define the employee’s relationship with the manager in the workplace, the expectations of the job, the question of whether a family member is truly qualified to do the job, the impact of hiring family members family on other employees and the potential effects of establishing a dual relationship with the family member.
Someone in the position to take over the family must first determine if it is legal. Many public agencies prohibit managers from hiring family members because they believe this is a form of favoritism and nepotism. Some workplaces also prohibit employee fraternization, or will be certain to move employees to different departments or sectors of a company if they form relationships such as marriages.
Even when people can employ the family legally, they should consider whether that benefits the business. Employees can have a significant effect on the success or failure of an enterprise. Some people are attracted to taking on a family because they want to care for a family member who needs a job, but this decision isn’t always a business-conscious decision. If an employee who is a family member is not contributing positively to the work environment, managers or owners are advised to seek out more qualified employees. Additionally, when contemplating hiring a family, the manager should objectively review all job applicants to decide which candidate is truly the best fit.
When family members are hired, it is extremely important to define the working relationship. If a son and daughter are busy, they should know how to respond to the father or mother at work, since the parent is now the boss. Other relatives need explicit instruction about the level of familiarity they can adopt in the workplace. Likewise, it should be apparent that the family member is expected to do the job competently and to be held to the same standards that apply to all other employees. Allowing favoritism in the workplace can lead to resentment or frustration in unrelated employees. Some bosses do the opposite and develop higher standards for family employees, and this is just as unfair and could lead to the family member’s resignation.
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