Family Culture…Yay or Nay?

NOT A F E W c a r e e r consultants shun the idea of a workplace that embraces a family culture. In fact, they tell you to steer clear of any organization that says they treat everyone like family. Here’s why:

“Your co- workers aren’t your family.”

“Your superiors aren’t your parents.”

“Parents can’t “fire” their children.”

They say that while it may seem like a harmless way to create camaraderie, the idea of espousing a family- l ike atmosphere can backfire. You can’t choose your family. But at work, everything ( from hiring to f i ring) i nvolves choices. And it’s unthinkable to say how you care about someone then institute layoffs because “the family” won’t survive.

Their feelings are valid, of course. But how they view a family culture might not be accurate.

What’s a family culture anyway?

To illustrate, let’s begin by saying what it isn’t.

I T I S N ’ T S N U B B I N G PERFORMANCE STANDARDS – Object i ve assessments have to be in place in any organization. Established metrics are still i n place t o a c c u r a t e l y me a s u r e performance. This is a legal aspect that a company can’t do away with. Families also set goals. When children aren’t performing well in school, for instance, the ideal protocol is for parents to assess leveland age- appropriate skills and then work accordingly to reach that level. This can be accomplished by further t raining, s pending t i me more time with the child, or working in tandem with the school.

IT ISN’T REFUSING TO LET PEOPLE GO – Sure, we can’t “fire” family members. But remember that at a certain point, even family members have to move on. We don’t give up on family members, true. We help them the best way we can to the best of our resources and abilities. But a refusal to follow rules or a blatant disregard and disrespect for co- workers, c l i e n t s , a n d c o mpany pol i cy are va l i d reasons for disciplinary measures. Families discipline, and so do organizations. It is not to make them feel “unwelcome”. It is done to protect others and allow the employee to explore options where he/she can thrive, as well.

IT ISN’T THE ABSENCE OF

BOUNDARIES – And it isn’t a lack of discipline either! On the contrary! It’s the family that teaches you boundaries. Respect for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual boundaries is learned early on through the family unit. Everyone understands their role. Families are not “free for all”. There are l i mits and boundaries in behavior, conduct, and consequence. We respect t he head of t he family and members’ opinions are sought out for important decisions. This is only magnified as we step out of the family unit and onto the “real world”.

A family culture at work isn’t bad. The improper use of family culture in the workplace IS.

O r g a n i z a t i o n s , l i k e families, are still focused on purpose. While we want employees to feel that they belong, part of making them feel they belong is making them share the same values and purpose.

When people are on the same page as to what they want to achieve, they are purpose- driven, and working together becomes a breeze.

The result of this dynamic is immense. The company i s n’ t t he only one t hat benefits, the employees do as well.

Go where “family culture” is done right. Join the NEARSOL family! NEARSOL is a US- based BPO and service company that offers clients customdesign solutions. It began operations in 2006 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning many awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which

Great Place to WorkCertified™ Recognition.

The Great Place to WorkCertified ™ Recognition is a global accreditation that tells

stakeholders what employees think of the company culture. In brief, it says a lot about the happiness and productivity i ndex i n NEARSOL. The certification process shows that employees are satisfied with the working environment and that they trust the leaders.

Come and discover why our employees think we’re a great place to work!

Visit NEARSOL. US and apply through NIA, NEARSOL’s recruitment c hatbot and personalized platform for the application process.

Visit our LinkedIn to learn more about our company and our global footprint./PN