Should You Hire Your Kids?
For those of you fortunate enough to own your own business, you know that hiring the right people is one of your most important jobs. It is critical to your ultimate success. So when you get the chance to hire your daughter (or son), should you? I did, and haven't regretted it. But the decision is fraught with dangers for not only your business, but your personal life, too.
First, some background. Blinds.com employs about 115 people. I think of us as more of a marketing company than a blinds company, so we need smart folks with strong marketing skills.
About four years ago while my daughter Esther was working on her journalism degree, she needed some part-time work. We happened to need a writer and someone to do social media at the time. So I put her to work. Now four years later, Esther manages our PR, social media, direct mail, and affiliate program.
Want to put your kids to work? Here's what I've learned about how to make it work:
- Reporting: Your child must report to someone other than yourself. That person should be responsible for her schedule, compensation, reviews -- everything. Make it clear to both your child and her supervisor that you will not interfere... and don't.
- Separate business from personal: Admittedly, this is very hard to do, but try to refrain from speaking about personal things -- especially time-consuming, personal things -- while at work, and vice-versa when you're at home.
- Role: Your child's role should be meaningful. As you do with any other employee, match up her skills to the role and make sure her contributions will have an impact. Be sensitive to the fact that other employees might assume that she's getting preferential treatment. If she's doing real work and treated like any other employee, you'll nip those suspicions in the bud.
- Make sure she works elsewhere first: Don't be your child's first employer -- this works to both your and her advantage. Let her start to develop her skills and professional identity at her first job. Then hire her. There's nothing worse than a person believing the only reason she's employed is because of her DNA-affiliation.
What pitfalls and advice would you give to those considering hiring their child?
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