Top 5 Tips for Working with Family

It’s All Relative(s)

Juggling a career and family can be hard work. It can be even harder when these two spheres of your life are intertwined.

Working alongside your family members can go one of two ways: it can either be an enriching, pleasant and productive experience, or it can lead to tension, dissatisfaction and discontent for both parties. These can be determined by a number of factors, both positive and negative: familiarity, competition, trust, communication, and the blurring of personal and professional boundaries, among others.

Of course, there are benefits to working with relatives, the ones who know you best and can offer emotional and moral support (as well as financial). However, if problems persist between you and your loved ones, then this can lead to bitter dissension not just at home, but in the workplace, too.

Overall, it can create an uncomfortable, unproductive and stressful environment for everyone.

Family Rules

If you and one or more of your relatives are going to be co-workers in any work environment, be it a family business or a standalone company, remember the following five tips:

1. Establish Boundaries

If you’re sharing the same workspace, it’s important to establish some ground rules. After all, you’ve both got your respective duties to fulfil, and both of you can’t afford to compromise them.

Enforce a structure whereby each of you adheres to specific working hours to ensure there are minimal distractions and you both have dedicated time to focus on work. Respect each other’s privacy, give each other space and establish proper channels of communication without hindering each other’s productivity.

For example, it’s not a good idea to repeatedly interrupt your spouse while they’re busy working on a high-priority task just to confirm plans for the weekend, nor is it appropriate to dig through their desk at the risk of disarranging important paperwork (and incurring your spouse’s wrath).

Remember, you have your work to do, as do your loved ones.

2. Homelife Stays At Home

Establish a clear balance between your working life and home life to prevent them from bleeding into each other. If there are any personal issues at home, be it family disputes or other pressing concerns, it can negatively affect the workplace dynamics if you air them.

For example, if you and your sibling are colleagues, but just had a heated argument about a trivial matter the evening before at home, you both cannot carry that emotional turmoil into the office. It’s unprofessional, stress-inducing and unproductive to let it affect your workload, even more so when you involve colleagues who are unwilling to engage with and/or witness it.

Again, focus on work-related matters, as bringing personal problems to work can impact not only your own performance, but also the morale and well-being of your other colleagues. 

3. Leave The Work At Work

By the same token, avoid discussing work-related issues at home. Home is where you all can safely relax, unwind and get ready for another day – it should not be treated as a battleground for corporate and/or business matters to be hashed out outside of working hours.

For the sake of your extended family, it’s important to not burden them with conflicts. For example, your colleague – one of your parents, perhaps – might not appreciate it when you gossip about their performance to your other parent, who may be forced to take sides at the expense of their mental, physical and emotional health.

If you want to maintain healthy relationships with your family members and avoid tension, discomfort and stress at home, it’s best to leave work-related issues in the workplace, where you will both have dedicated time to discuss them in detail and find solutions.

4. Avoid Nepotism

Nepotism is when employers prioritise hiring family members, spouses and/or friends for certain job positions. They also tend to give these individuals preferential treatment, namely in the form of receiving easier work assignments, or attaining privileges such as raises or promotions.

While nepotism isn’t illegal in most countries, it is a harmful practice that can cause workplace dissatisfaction, decrease morale and work productivity, and lead to a breakdown in employer-employee relationships.

If you’re in a position where you hold executive power, it can send out a negative message to employees if you prioritise hiring, praising and promoting the likes of your relatives. This perception of favouritism can lead to serious repercussions such as demotivation, resentment, ill-will and erosion of trust, which can severely stifle productivity and creativity.

To avoid nepotism and favouritism, practise fairness and inclusivity where possible. Treat everyone equally, and outline in your policies that bias is not welcome or encouraged. If there are any decisions or arising issues regarding family members, these should be left up to the workplace’s disciplinary committee and/or human resources representatives, as they will be impartial and thus less likely to have conflicts of interest.

5. Divide The Load

Everyone has different responsibilities, which entails different routines and requirements. As such, you and your relatives need to have a clear understanding of each other’s roles and how they go about carrying it out.

Picture this scenario, for example: many years ago, you founded a successful chain of restaurants. You’ve since handed over the reins to your child, who now serves as the chain’s chief executive officer, while you busy yourself with managing one of the restaurants. Your duties vary, and although you may have concerns about how your child is running the entire business – by the same token, they might be unimpressed by your personal management style – it doesn’t give either of you the right to interfere in each others’ duties because of a minor gripe or whim.

Respect each other’s authority and boundaries where possible. If disagreements do arise, keep it within a professional sphere by scheduling a meeting instead. That way, you can talk it out and come up with solutions in a calm, less hostile manner.

Of course, it’s always good to offer (and ask for) help, constructive feedback and support in a respectful manner, as it can strengthen both your professional and personal relationships. Ultimately, by having a clear understanding of each other’s roles and actively supporting one another, your family can work together towards success.

Support System

Your family can be your support system both at home and at work. Keep these tips in mind, and together, you can work efficiently and achieve your goals anytime, anywhere. Good luck!