Getting the Family Involved in Your Self Employed Business | AD
*This is a collaborative post
Getting the family involved in your own business can be a great way to strengthen bonds, provide stability and teach good work ethic. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Essentially, you need to treat a family employee just as you would any other. So, here are some tips.
Provide Training for Anything they Need
Like any employee, your family members will need training on anything they are required to use. This can range from simple scheduling apps to using power tools safely. Communication is a core part of modern business. So, you should at least provide introduction training for Microsoft Outlook or any other email and collaboration tools you use. Younger people may already know these. But older family members might need some extra time to get to grips with software.
Make Them Aware of the Law
No matter your business, there are laws, rules and regulations. And just because someone is family, that doesn’t mean they can get away with breaking them. If you let this happen, your other employees, if you have any, won’t be very happy. Health and safety awareness should be your first priority. But you should also provide training for things like data protection, confidentiality clauses and the dangers of doing something for which they are not qualified.
Getting the Family Involved Means Being Patient
It is often the case that we are a little shorter with family members than we generally would with someone else. For example, you would never speak to a customer in a bad way for the sake of professionalism. So you should do the same for a family member, no matter how challenging it may be. If you employ them, then you should treat them as you would any other employee. And this means being patient when they are failing to grasp the concept of something simple to you.
Educate About Cybersecurity
Don’t think because you have a small, family-operated business that you aren’t a target for hackers. Globally, around 46% of all cyber-attacks are attempted on small to medium-sized businesses. And the effects of recovery can often be too great financially and reputationally. So educate your family employees about cybersecurity. This means using strong passwords, restricting installations on PCs and mobile devices, and no calls using company smartphones.
Pay Them a Fair Wage
Family-owned restaurants are a good example of when the family lives and works together. And this makes it easier to manage finances and salaries. However, this isn’t always the case, and you must pay your family members what they have worked for if they request it. For example, if your son works for you on building projects but doesn’t live with you, he will need money for rent, food and utilities. However, there are tax breaks available for employing family members.
Summary
It can help your business when getting the family involved. However, you must treat them as you would any other employee, provide necessary training and pay a fair and honest wage. However, you can claim back family employee expenses on your tax return in some nations.
