Why relatives would make bad hires for your company

What happens when the qualified professional you intend to hire turns out to be a member of your family? Most would argue that as long as the individual is suitably qualified for the position, there is no downside to hiring him or her.

While some employers have had great experiences working with relatives, for most, the results have been painful and costly.

According to Perminus Wainaina, the CEO and recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing Services, if an employer is thinking of downsizing, the first people on the list should be family members.

“Hiring relatives, whether well qualified for the position or not, is bad to start with. It will affect the level of professionalism in the company and cost you both money and time, a situation that will undoubtedly ruin your company,” he said.

Mr Wainaina lists three main reasons relatives ought to be given a wide berth during the hiring process.

First, relatives can adopt an entitlement mentality. When you hire family members, said Wainaina, chances are you are that you will have to deal with such them thinking they have the upper hand over their colleagues. They will see their position in your firm as a right, and believe they can get away with any number of things.

Creating rifts

“They will be coming in late, or not coming in at all, calling in sick every other day or even delegating their tasks to junior employees, and exercising control when they shouldn’t. As an employer, your emotions will always be at play when it comes to disciplining them for this behaviour,” Wainaina said.

Second, it creates a rift between employees. Building a successful business requires that your employees work as a team; hiring relatives may eliminate this advantage. You may end up creating an environment where other employees are afraid to share their ideas and opinions, or point out your faults when the family member is around.

With an environment where ideas are stifled and feedback from employees is withheld, fast growth is an unlikely possibility. You might end up spending money trying to uncover a problem you could have avoided in the initial hiring process.

Third, the lack of diversity can cripple the business. From providing a wide array of ideas and views on how to deal with arising problems, to bringing in a range of skills and talents into your company, employees from diverse backgrounds are your best bet.

 

Hiring relatives can give you a talent pool with similar backgrounds, which makes it difficult to fully grasp and understand the needs of your customer base, which makes it easier for your competitors to move forward.

“While you may feel like it’s your obligation to help out somebody you know get a job, or feel that you owe it to them, re-evaluate your options before making a decision,” said Wainaina.