To Hire Relatives, Or Not?

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"I'm considering hiring a relative,
because he/she is reliable, trust-
worthy." You explained.

The process of hiring involves an
employee offering his/her services
for payment. It becomes a job,
career, for the employee.

A relative can be honest, reliable,
but when it comes to employment,
often, the relationship takes on
a different meaning.

He/she is, now, in your employ
with certain responsibilities.
Your relative can't come up to
you and say, fire Employee B.
He/she has shifty eyes. Or,
let's go with a certain product,
because I like it.

Unless, his/her job description
entitles an opinion, relatives
have no right to say anything.

Most relatives will, by habit,
express themselves.

Manage relatives, from day one,
by explaining what their role
is, and what it entails.

If Uncle Joe, for example,
stock shelves, he has no
business at the cash register.

Aunt Susan does the accounting,
she shouldn't take funds to
the bank, too.

Relatives can make excellent
employees as long as they know
their job limitations, and
respect boundaries.

As with anything else, it is
a matter of how you handle
the situation, that determines
whether or not relatives will
be assets.

Finally, relatives can make the
best employees. Why? They have
known you, your dreams, and would
like to share it with you. However,
manage relatives by letting them
know, from day one, what their duties
are.