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KristineS
11-28-2008, 02:11 PM
I work for a family owned company. It was started by the father and one daughter now runs it. Another daughter is also in management. First daughter's husband also works for the company.

The official word is that family members should be treated like any other employee. In reality that's not what happens at all. Special privileges are given to family members. They get away with stuff that others on the management team would not.

From the standpoint of other managers, it's tricky dealing the with family members, even though those family members are often the source of a lot of roadblocks and problems.

I'd love some advice on how to deal with this issue. I also think it would interesting to discuss how this problem could be avoided if you're the one who owns the business.

Anyone have any thoughts?

seolman
11-28-2008, 02:24 PM
I guess it could be boiled down to two questions really:

Do the roadblocks or difficulties you mention include limitations on where you want your career to take you? If so, you might want to consider making medium term plans to shift somewhere else as the economy improves.

Is there a danger that a difference with a family member could result in a loss of job security for you?

One way I have seen families avoid problems like this in other family businesses is to have family members work for non-family members who have the power to hire and fire them. If they get fired they cannot be re-hired for at least 3 years like any other employee. It takes courage for a family to apply the rules to themselves but most don't have the strength to endure such things.

Steve B
11-28-2008, 10:26 PM
Quit. It will never change.

Blessed
11-29-2008, 05:33 AM
I have worked for several small and/or family owned and ran businesses and have experienced exactly the same thing you are talking about.

Basically I found that it didn't really matter what the employee handbook, or official company policy said. Family members had rank and privilege that non-family members could not attain and so were able to do things and get away with things that non-family members could never do.

I'm not sure how you would avoid this in your own business - I think you would almost have to refuse to hire other family members in order to keep family relationships out of the business mix.

KristineS
11-29-2008, 05:46 PM
It doesn't effect me specifically in terms of succeeding in my career. I'm already as far as I can go in this company.

What it does cause problems with is established procedures and getting things done. It's hard to tell a family member they've done something wrong or caused problems. Where you could deal with another employee on an equal level, you can't do that with the family.

One of the problems with where I live is that a lot of the companies are smaller and family owned. I've worked for a couple of them and we've inevitably run into this same problem.

Evan
11-29-2008, 11:37 PM
Where you could deal with another employee on an equal level, you can't do that with the family.

Have you tried at all, and it has failed? Or is this just your perception?

If there was a problem in my company with my family members, I'd want to know. Despite it being family, some people do try to seperate the roles so you never know. And sometimes the family that owns the business ends up hating each other, but the company was passed down and split 50/50, so both just assume to do whatever they want.

KristineS
11-30-2008, 01:15 PM
Yeah, I've had run-ins with the family before. El Presidente is very protective of the family, and even though she says they're to be treated like everyone else, that's not how she acts.

I tried dealing with the problem once and was shut down quite firmly. It's sad, but that's the way it is.

Evan
11-30-2008, 05:23 PM
Sometimes you run into those who will genuinely follow that "policy", I tend to be one of those. Many times it is not the case, as you seem to be in.

This can be extremely tricky as a staff accountant in a privately run family business, as the internal controls for family members are not stringent at all. And when there are issues, they often don't want to hear about it.

If the situation ever rises to the point where you're uncomfortable with performing your duties, as noted, I'd quit. Not worth the aggravation, and there is obviously a reason they are defensive. They may possibly be involved.

KristineS
11-30-2008, 09:55 PM
It's not that I think they're doing anything illegal or something like that. It's just that there are established procedures that don't get followed which results in errors that wouldn't happen if the procedures were followed.

Mostly it's just adds a level of frustration to my job. I'm sure there are people with much worse employment situations. I guess I just needed to blow off a little steam.

orion_joel
12-02-2008, 12:04 AM
I don't know that this sort of problem is just limited to family owned businesses. I have a similar problem where the manager is to good of a friend with one of the people who is his direct report, and this person gets away with pretty much what he wants. Arriving late, extended or multiple breaks above normally permissable, not following procedure, cutting corners, and generally being painful, really far to much.

I do agree and also believe often it is far to difficult once someone has been given a even a slight amount of freedom to bend policy then it is an almost impossible task to bring them back into line. With what has been allowed from what you have said i doubt that it is going to change at all, unless the people are changed.

KristineS
12-02-2008, 02:07 PM
You're right Joel, it doesn't necessarily have to be a family situation. This sort of thing can happen any time someone is given too much leeway. If you allow one person to step outside the rules then you create an issue, even if you didn't intend to do so.

I think that's why new managers are often warned not to expect to be friends with those who report to them. The natural inclination is to be a little more lenient with those you like and care about. Once you allow someone to cross the boundaries it is tough to get them back in line.

billbenson
12-03-2008, 04:37 PM
I think that's why new managers are often warned not to expect to be friends with those who report to them. The natural inclination is to be a little more lenient with those you like and care about. Once you allow someone to cross the boundaries it is tough to get them back in line.

I think I've said this before here, but I've ended up personal friends with just about every boss I've had. Even my college security job. My case was a little different in that for most of my jobs I would travel frequently with my boss for a few days or a week at a time. Eat, drink, travel together, you get to know each other.

There was always the differentiation of they were the boss. It didn't affect their effectiveness at all.

KristineS
12-03-2008, 07:59 PM
I think those sorts of relationships can work, if there is a certain level of maturity on both sides. That isn't always the case, however, and that's when the relationship gets sticky. I've been friends with some of my bosses too and still maintained the chain of authority. It can be done, but it requires a bit of a balancing act.

vangogh
12-04-2008, 04:58 PM
Office politics is one of the main reasons I now work for myself. I was never very good at cutting through all the BS and saw early on it was going to be a detriment to any career I might have. At least now the only politics I have to deal with are my own.