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Reign in Difficult Family Members

Sarah worked as a business coordinator for a private school. She chose the school because it was family owned and thought the atmosphere would be collegial. But just weeks into her new job, the owner sent her inappropriate e-mails and propositioned her. She went to the head of HR. But the woman, who is the owner’s cousin, simply said, “That is just the way he is.”

Sarah quit and filed a sexual harassment complaint. If the head of HR had stood up to her cousin, the legal action might have been prevented.

You should hold family members in your business to the same standards as everyone else. According to the Wall Street Journal, media mogul Ted Turner had no problem letting his son go, and firing him over dinner with, “You’re toast.”

You may have to take that step if family members believe they are entitled to come to work when they want to or just aren’t up to the job.

“The first rule is that family members do not work in the business unless they are at least as able as any non-family employee, and work at least as hard,” said management guru Peter Drucker in The Daily Drucker: 366 days of insight and motivation for getting the right things done.

It’s especially important to monitor the behavior of family members at work. If they are abusive, employees may be reluctant to speak up. Make it clear to everyone that when it comes to work, blood isn’t always thicker than water.