How to Work with Family

Advice on How to Work with Family

Working with family can drag personal problems into the workplace. 

Whether it’s a multimillion-dollar company or a two-person operation, parents, kids and spouses have to find a way to leave family feuds at home when they work in a family business. To get a closer look at this tricky subject we spoke to Mandy Farmer, president and CEO of Accent Inns Inc. (a company started by her father, Terry Farmer); Eric Gedajlovic, a professor at SFU’s Beedie School of Business; and David Bentall, founder of Next Step Advisors Inc. and founding chair of the Business Families Centre at UBC.

 


Establish boundaries 


Family members who are also co-workers must make a conscious effort to keep work life and family life apart. Bentall suggests creating a safe space to discuss the interface between the two because you want to be able to talk about both. Farmer agrees, highlighting the importance of boundaries and saying that it is imperative to “know when to turn work off” to avoid turning the living room into a de facto boardroom. 

 


Be respectful


Respect should always be a part of business, but it is particularly important in multi-generational family organizations. Farmer credits her rewarding and productive working relationship with her father to the fact that they “are respectful of each other’s needs.” Everyone in the family needs to feel heard and respected, but elders especially. Gedajlovic notes that the knowledge attained through years of doing business “is likely to be incredibly valuable” and must be respected.

 

Enlist outside help


If you only do one thing to help your family business, establish a board of governors, the majority of whom should be from outside the family, advises Bentall. This provides an impartial resolution mechanism, allows for objective decision-making and is “the number one way to avoid disputes.” Even in smaller companies, listening to the perspective of an outsider can stop most problems before they even form. However, Gedajlovic warns against hiding behind these advisers, as a lack of decision-making can “undermine the firm at the most basic level.”

Invest in 
education


Gedajlovic sees education as invaluable, saying that it can “present a countervailing force to the dominance of family logic,” which is essential if a business is to change and evolve. Bentall agrees, adding that individuals should “invest in education and career pursuits” outside of the family company to gain experience.

 

Write a job description

While a son or daughter may never feel like a regular employee, according to Farmer, the parent must make an effort to treat them like one. “You’ve got to treat all employees the same,” she cautions. A written job description and contract can go a long way to ensuring that everyone is aware of their duties and what’s expected of them as an employee. At the executive level, it’s important to clarify responsibilities, comments Bentall. Setting guidelines early on can stop many disputes before they even arise.