How to Work for Family
Clarify your role within the family business., Ask for a job description., Obtain necessary training., Approve your compensation package., Assess the communication environment., Consider how conflicts are addressed at work., Separate your personal...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clarify your role within the family business.
Identifying your role within the organization will help limit confusion and misunderstandings about your level of power and authority.
You may be accustomed to managing the books at home, but your brother may consider himself the accounting expert of his business and expect you to oversee the sales department. -
Step 2: Ask for a job description.
Family businesses, particularly smaller start ups, are less likely to write up formal job descriptions for a position.
Ask for a detailed job description so that you are clear about what is expected of you on a daily basis. , You may need to learn how to manage people, work with specialized software or create client relationships.
Sign up for classes and seminars to strengthen your skills. , Working for family may mean that you are salaried, paid hourly, or given a percentage of profits.
Clarify the compensation amount, frequency and payroll date.
If the family business can only pay you if and when there is a profit, be sure that you are okay with this before committing to the position. , A heated conversation may be manageable for you at home, but it may not bring out the best in you in the work environment.
Alternatively, you might appreciate the candid communication style of a family business.
Determine if you are productive in the existing communication dynamics.
If not, ask if an objective third person can join important conversations.
An objective non-family employee or an outside consultant may be able to detect when family members are tuning each other out or behaving irrationally. , Not everyone has to agree on everything, and it's often better for brainstorming purposes when family members feel free to express diverse views.
However, make sure that disagreements don't result in the stifling of your professional growth or an impasse in business processes.
Develop conflict resolutions skills.
Listening carefully to family members in the workplace, speaking openly about obstacles that are interfering with work processes, and committing to creating win-win situations will help to diminish the negative impacts of conflicts in a family business. , You may be in the position of working with a family member whom you do not respect on a personal level.
Consciously focus on the professional strengths of that relative, who may be organized in the workplace, a good salesperson or contributing positively in some way to the bottom line of the business. , Working for family may be a pleasant experience, enabling you to enjoy working daily with people you love.
Contributing to the financial well-being of the family can be an empowering process.
Seek other professional options if necessary.
If the family business doesn't allow room for professional growth due to unsolvable family conflicts, power attachments or the business structure, pursuing other professional opportunities may be the best way to simultaneously keep the family peace and fulfill your own professional needs. -
Step 3: Obtain necessary training.
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Step 4: Approve your compensation package.
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Step 5: Assess the communication environment.
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Step 6: Consider how conflicts are addressed at work.
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Step 7: Separate your personal feelings from professional assessments.
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Step 8: Gauge your satisfaction on the job.
Detailed Guide
Identifying your role within the organization will help limit confusion and misunderstandings about your level of power and authority.
You may be accustomed to managing the books at home, but your brother may consider himself the accounting expert of his business and expect you to oversee the sales department.
Family businesses, particularly smaller start ups, are less likely to write up formal job descriptions for a position.
Ask for a detailed job description so that you are clear about what is expected of you on a daily basis. , You may need to learn how to manage people, work with specialized software or create client relationships.
Sign up for classes and seminars to strengthen your skills. , Working for family may mean that you are salaried, paid hourly, or given a percentage of profits.
Clarify the compensation amount, frequency and payroll date.
If the family business can only pay you if and when there is a profit, be sure that you are okay with this before committing to the position. , A heated conversation may be manageable for you at home, but it may not bring out the best in you in the work environment.
Alternatively, you might appreciate the candid communication style of a family business.
Determine if you are productive in the existing communication dynamics.
If not, ask if an objective third person can join important conversations.
An objective non-family employee or an outside consultant may be able to detect when family members are tuning each other out or behaving irrationally. , Not everyone has to agree on everything, and it's often better for brainstorming purposes when family members feel free to express diverse views.
However, make sure that disagreements don't result in the stifling of your professional growth or an impasse in business processes.
Develop conflict resolutions skills.
Listening carefully to family members in the workplace, speaking openly about obstacles that are interfering with work processes, and committing to creating win-win situations will help to diminish the negative impacts of conflicts in a family business. , You may be in the position of working with a family member whom you do not respect on a personal level.
Consciously focus on the professional strengths of that relative, who may be organized in the workplace, a good salesperson or contributing positively in some way to the bottom line of the business. , Working for family may be a pleasant experience, enabling you to enjoy working daily with people you love.
Contributing to the financial well-being of the family can be an empowering process.
Seek other professional options if necessary.
If the family business doesn't allow room for professional growth due to unsolvable family conflicts, power attachments or the business structure, pursuing other professional opportunities may be the best way to simultaneously keep the family peace and fulfill your own professional needs.
About the Author
Amanda Scott
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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