do you give work to your family members?

Deals_2

and vice versa or is it too close to home? thanks

PinkLipgloss

I think it depends on the circumstances.

I personally used to work p/t for my uncle when I was studying for my undergrad (he had a bar/restaurant) and it was a nightmare. I was supposed to be there as an "emergency" for 2 weeks to help out when they were short staffed. Ended up working there for 2 years! As a family member I had a LOT MORE responsibility with the additional hassle of covering shifts "at the last minute" as nobody else was available! Never again....

My aunt has her own business and offered my cousin a job as she was suitably qualified and needed a job however it all ended in tears! They seriously clashed working together day in day out and, inevitably, other family members got involved "taking sides" so to speak!

However, I also work freelance for same aunt (created her logo, designed her website) and keep her website up to date every month. This does not involve working with her (as I do it in my free time at home) and I get free products/services in return (which would normally cost me a lot of money and at the same time a website designer would cost her a lot). No cash exchanges hands and we are both happy so its win-win situation!

Lipgloss

heretolearn_2

I have used my son a few times for short projects at work and he's done a good job, but I don't think I would want to work with him permanently - nothing to do with him, it's just 'too close to home' as you say.

I run a business with my other half. It has it's advantages and disadvantages, but we try very hard to keep it on a professional level at work, and not let the two sides overlap. I generally disapprove of family businesses, I've worked for a couple and there are always problems for other staff members when people are appointed because of who they are, rather than their being the best person for the job. Worst was one family who kept having blazing rows in the middle of the office while the rest of us sat there wishing the floor would open up and swallow us.

lostinrates

DH and I used to work together. We make a pretty good team. I'd work with him again, and he with me, but he works in totally different area now. We have used fmaily members for some things (e.g. house purchase used a family member for conveyancing)and usually things are delayed or dealt with a wee bit shabbily because ''its only us'' and we're family. Apart from DH I would not work full time with a family member. I would work for DEFINED short periods on projects with some embers of our family if I had reason to.

when_will_it_end

i used to work for my mum a few yrs ago p/t
never had any problems, i had a contract and was paid the correct wage

i was treated exactly the same as any other employee, we agreed from the start that i was not her daughter at work just another empoyee

rozmister

Not quite a family member but I met my boyfriend at work and now we avoid working shifts together. I think I'd feel the same about working with my family as I do working with him, to me the time I CHOOSE to spend with my boyfriend and family is about enjoyment and love and nice stuff which aren't emotions I feel at my work!! I want to keep that part of my life separate and safe from the stress; I'd hate to lose my temper or get upset with any of them about something as silly as work.

My brother is a carpenter and every time he does jobs for family it ends in tears. He wants more pay than they think family should pay or they agree to swap something for his time and then they feel he doesn't uphold his part of the bargain. It puts me off well and truly!

Fang_3

Worked for my dad growing up but as soon as I hit 16 I got another part-time job, as did all my siblings. We've all been given the option to work for him and eventually take it over but none of us want it. We all still help out occasionally using our individual skills but that's the extent of it. I suppose it's that I would rather emulate than follow my parents. As for my mum working with him - forget it. They're both used to being the boss, and I've seen them both in action at work and they'd probably end up killing each other. Corporately speaking anyway.

It's only going to be successful if you can separate your emotions and familiarity from your working relationship.

heretolearn_2

What I found interesting was one firm I worked for used to let the two directors' teenage sons come in for 'work experience' during school holidays. They got paid quite well for this.

One, who was planning on following all his brothers and sisters into the firm, was a lazy good-for-nothing waster who would turn up late, do as little as possible, and was so laid back because he knew he was just going to walk into a nice little job here. Not popular with us mere staff at all.

The other, from a different director, worked his little socks off, was great to be around, would have a bash at anything, and we all really liked having him there. We asked 'are you going to come and work here then?' His response was a disgusted look and a 'no, I'm not working for my dad, I want a proper job'.

Really telling about family businesses and the attitudes they can create. good for lad number 2! I'm sure he made a big success of whatever he went on to do, whereas number 1 was never going to be good for anything.

RazWaz

I spent 4 months working with my bf and it sort of worked. When he first started (I worked there first) we had a few days of sniping at each other, but realised that it was making other people uncomfortable so we choose to totally separate our relationship from the job - was hard to avoid him as we worked in the same (tiny) office on desks next to each other so we just treated each other as we would treat any other employee.

It did confuse a couple of people on work nights out though - most didn't realise we were together until they saw us holding hands.

podperson

I think it depends on whether you can keep the relationship professional at work. I worked for a business run by my family for a few years when I was a teenager and overall it was good as I knew already most of the people I was working with - however I ended up leaving in the end due to one family member in particular there who just couldn't seem to separate the family and the working relationship. For example, she would know if I had been out the night before so would spend the whole morning lecturing me on how I shouldn't be going out when I had work the next day and she bet I felt awful but it was all my own fault, etc. She wouldn't have spoken to any of other staff like that and I found it unprofessional - especially since I felt I was still doing my work to a decent standard and no one else there had noticed anything different about me so it wasn't like I was hiding in a corner with dark sunglasses