The ups and downs of hiring friends and family

Friends and family might seem like a rich source of talent, particularly enticing if the individual has proven themselves reliable in your personal life.

However, these types of working relationships tend to be even more complex than when hiring an ‘outsider’. Of course it works, so many family businesses thrive this way. It’s just that when it doesn’t it has the potential to damage your business and sour established relationships.

During a standard recruitment process, you should delve deep into every individual’s experience, qualifications and ability to do the job. Looking so critically at a friend or family member can be tough, but it’s an important step to ensure they’re the best option.

Many business owners bypass the contracts of employment when a family member or close friend is involved. This is very dangerous as there would not be any legal document to back you up when issues beyond your control arise.