The natural tendency when it comes to recruiting the first employees is to approach one’s network of friends and family. Employing a friend, who may initially seem wise, can turn out to be harmful. Focus on the advantages and disadvantages of this solution.
The advantages of employing a friend
You know him well
Knowing the professional qualities of your friend or the personal qualities of a future employee represents an undeniable advantage for you. However, be wary of what the person thinks about themselves or what they have told you in a friendly manner. It is not necessarily very objective and you do not necessarily understand it on a professional level. So, it is not necessarily because he is very jovial in his private life that he is necessarily a good professional or behaves in the same way in business.
It can provide you with feedback when you are not there
As a friend, he will also tend to provide you with information that is not official. When you are not there, he will be able to inform you of people who do nothing, distract others, complain behind your back or even try to gang up other employees against you. He will also be able to send you the various justified grievances of employees against you to enable you to improve.
A breakup that can be made easier
In the event of a mismatch with the position, disagreement or difficulties encountered by the company, the termination may be made easier even if nothing guarantees this. Your friend will perhaps tend to give you more leeway than an average employer regarding his rights. Aware of the difficulty of the situation which is neither easy for you nor for him, he could choose not to sue you out of pure revenge or not to be fussy about small errors on your part.
The fact that he will be more respectful of company rules
As a friend, he will (in principle) more easily comply with company rules, understanding the importance to you if you explain to him what they mean to you. Better still, he can even encourage his colleagues to also respect them and set an example himself. He could quickly become an effective spokesperson, especially if he is appreciated.
He will give his best in principle
Employing a friend firstly means working with someone you trust. Aware of your situation, the person can do their best to get your business off the ground. He could try to grow your company without really looking at his schedule, or complaining about the additional efforts he will have to make to help you.
It’s still nicer to work with a friend
Working with friends, what’s better! The atmosphere will be positively affected and your proximity to your employees could be strengthened. They will be able to see another side of your personality which will be expressed through contact with your friend and could make you much more likeable.
The disadvantages of employing a friend
Losing a friend through layoff
Conflicts remain commonplace in the company. Apart from this case, economic constraints or even unsuitability for the position could lead to a separation (dismissal) from your friend. This can generate conflicts and your friend who knows you, conversely, may use elements that other employees do not know against you. Losing a friend is already difficult in this type of case so you turn against him…
Friendships can be distorted
Once your friend is hired, you technically become their boss. It may be that your relationship with him is changed as a result and that you no longer seek to meet the person you see every day. Moreover, by spending so much time with him, you may no longer be able to stand him… What can be pleasant in small doses can become very burdensome in daily doses.
Professional relationships can be more difficult
Imposing your company’s rules on your friend can be a difficult task if they don’t understand that they have no privileges. On the other hand, he may seek to play on the affect to avoid being subjected to it. This can cause jealousy, harm your team atmosphere and ultimately undermine your authority. Attention !
He can communicate personal information
If you seek to be discreet about your personal life, your employee may sometimes reveal personal information that could harm your image as a boss. An anecdote about a drunken evening, stupid things you did when you were an employee or even quite simply a detailed account of your faults can quickly discredit you. Take care to warn him about this before your collaboration or you could pay the consequences.
Collaborate or you could pay the consequences.
You may be discredited Recruiting a friend could quickly turn sour if some of your colleagues believe that this choice is not the most relevant. Some might think that you could have turned to better suited profiles, particularly if the person recruited turns out to be not very competent. Even if mobilizing your network represents an easy solution, your human resources department could also take a dim view of imposing a candidate, whether or not they correspond to the requirements of the position.
Working with a loved one has both advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you to carefully weigh the pros and cons before committing to this approach.
