Imagine working alongside your spouse or long time partner, or even your parents or siblings. Seems like a dream come true, right? Basically, having a business is already a dream for many. But, running a business with a loved one comes with an additional challenge — working with them.
It’s true that hiring loved one adds one person under people who are willing to make the business work, but working with them also opens a margin of misunderstandings, clashes, and awkward conversations, especially when a family member needs to get disciplined.
Establish Ground Rules
Working with a family member has its benefits. Aside from working with a like-minded person, you have someone who is serious about separating work and home life. In the workplace, it’s important to have a definitive line between personal and work life as intermingling together can brew up stress and gravely affect both facets of life.
The best solution to this is to establish ground rules. Another solution is limiting work conversations within work hours, while personal and other matters during their respective times.
Some business partners, such as couples, tend to vent out their frustrations or other thoughts during their way home, which allows the perfect time to ease the tension before arriving at home and focusing on house tasks. As a business owner, set clear boundaries to make it easier by having conversations and issues without mixing both life and work.
Be Fair and Legal
In case a blood relative or close family member enters the business under a non-management or a different position as you do as a business owner, it’s important to become fair and legal. It’s essential to treat them the same way you treat your other employees. Under the roof of the business, you are in charge and they work under you. In every interaction in the workplace or through signed paper, these employees must undergo the same process as the others.
For better or for worse, treating your employed family member avoids strain on your other employees. If you treat them above them, it can make quite a stir and even convince your employees that you don’t treat them fairly. Nobody wants a teacher’s pet or a coach’s child who always get everything. Same goes for the business. That’s why treating everybody equally helps in creating a rapport between employees, blood relative or not.
Know the Business, Too
Before starting or even buying a new business, also consult your family members if they’re interested in working in that industry or position. If you chose to buy a new business in Victoria, melbourne business brokers will be able to find you with leads and deals perfect for your preferences and budget.
