Would Your Parent Make an Ideal Employee?

An interesting topic was brought up in a recent Business Week article, “Should You Hire Your Parents?“.   Different experiences from each side of the debate are stated in the article.    I don’t know about you, but I think hiring your parents could create tension within the family unit.  

Obviously keeping the roles defined between the parent and the  son or daughter is most important.   Daniel Negari, one of the entrepreneurs interviewed for the article, states  that he only refers to his mother at work by her name.   He never uses the term  “mom” or “mother” while in the office environment.   I can see  how it would be  important to keep the emotional aspects out of the work relationship.   What do you think?

Let’s say  your parent has more business knowledge and experience that you could really tap into by hiring them.   Would that make you more likely to consider them for employment?   Could  you  find value in hiring your parent as an employee?   Or is it more trouble than it’s worth?

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8 Comments Would Your Parent Make an Ideal Employee?

  1. Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy

    It really depends on the relationship you have with your parents. If your parents are the overbearing “my way or the highway” type, then I can see it being a real problem. But, if your parents are willing to work with you, make suggestions, guide you, but let YOU be the ultimate decision maker, then I see no reason why not.

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  2. Chaitanya Sagar

    It’s not just about whether your relationship with your parent (or spouse or a relative) will work well after you hire. It’s about setting the culture of the company. Your other employees may think it’s ok to hire their parents/spouses because you did. YOU may be correct in hiring – your parent may have what it takes to do the job. But will your employee’s parents too have the capability? Who knows? This get’s murky.

    I would say, keep it clean. Set high standards and make sure YOU don’t compromise on your own integrity to set an example to your employees. Take a look at this video below – Guy talks about raising venture capital and about presenting a ‘clean deal’ to investors. (I am not asking to raise capital. I am just saying that not hiring your near and dear is a higher standard)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1etQC2-Vg_s

    In my own case, I had some pressure to hire very close persons. However, despite the person possessing qualifications and experience, I resisted the temptation to set high standards and made the tougher decision of getting her another job at a good company. I am recently successful in that. In fact, she got TWO jobs! 🙂

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  3. Rose Anderson

    Well, I am not going to hire my parents even they have the skills set needed for a certain job on my business. And it is very impossible to pretend as if ‘no strings attached’ because there’s really is.

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  4. Arthur Bland

    My view is irrevocable and I won’t be hiring my parents or any of them to work for my business. Well, if it’s the other way around like any other ‘monarchial’ type of corporations, I can better be as a son, working for them.

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  5. Luz Spielberg

    No. I won’t be hiring my parents to work for my business. They aren’t just used to receiving orders from me. I’d better hire my daughter soon as she’s capable of because in time, she’ll be handling our business also.

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  6. Don

    I think it really depends on the individuals and the circumstances. You should also think about why you are hiring them, is there a benefit to you as their employer or are you just doing them a favor.

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