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The hiring process should center around making the decision for the company or the business establishment. When considering a friend or a family member for the job, ask yourself why you are doing it. If you have good reasons to support your decision then, go for it. On the flipside, please consider these reasons why you should not hire a friend or a relative in the workplace…
LOYALTY > WORK ETHICS
You and your friend have been thru tremendous ups and downs. Through it all, your friend has shown you his or her loyalty. While this is an admirable trait to have, loyalty and professionalism are two different things.
What if your friend decided to skip town without asking for permission? Or, miss the project deadlines because he or she can “easily” get away with it based on your strong bond?
Your next step is to discuss the matter to your friend. This is a tricky situation especially because you do not want to create resentment for the days to come.
PERSONAL ISSUES > CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS
People react to criticisms differently. While others embrace it fully, some people may take it personally. This is something that you should consider when giving employee feedback.
Do not get me started with relaying feedback to a friend! A friend might take your criticism much harder because of the grey area that separates the professional and the personal life. Other than that, you may find yourself being more critical of your friend than you would have been with a regular employee. Honest is acceptable, but at what cost?
POSITIVITY > NEGATIVITY
It is human nature to overlook the flaws of the people we love. Perhaps, we just accept them for who they are without reservations. However, this perspective can be costly for business. It is important to not be controlled by “wishful thinking” during the hiring process of a new staff member.
If you are considering the possibility of bringing a friend or a relative on board, you must access all the issues at hand. An honest evaluation of their positive and negative attributes is needed to sustain a permanent business relationship.
NO LIMITS > BOUNDARIES
It comes as no surprise that striking a balance between your professional and personal relationship is challenging when you hire someone you are close to. You will find yourselves discussing about business matters while in social gatherings. Or, chatting about personal matters while in the workplace.
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Hiring friends and family members is a hit or miss situation! It can either affect your business positively or negatively in the long run. Are you willing to take the risk?
