Current Events > Why do people say to avoid family owned businesses when looking for jobs?

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They'll often let family members who aren't competent enough to be doing certain tasks do them anyway. Like managing finances/payroll.

My partner worked for a handful of family owned/ran businesses and found it came down to confrontation to get overtime paid, or tips not stolen

they tend to be shitty bosses and expect a lot more than they should from their employees

Gwynevere posted...

They'll often let family members who aren't competent enough to be doing certain tasks do them anyway. Like managing finances/payroll.

This. Nepotism rules. Relatives and friends will often get promotions into higher positions and opportunities for more pay over anyone who's infinitely more qualified.

Nothing wrong with using them as a stepping stone. Just don't try to make a career out from those sort of business.

"We're a family here. Except for you."

VeggetaX posted...

Nothing wrong with using them as a stepping stone. Just don't try to make a career out from those sort of business.

Triple H did fairly well at it.

averagejoel posted...

they tend to be shitty bosses and expect a lot more than they should from their employees

Phantom36 posted...

Relatives and friends will often get promotions into higher positions and opportunities for more pay over anyone who's infinitely more qualified.

These.

Well, if you can marry into the family business that's different.

averagejoel posted...

they tend to be shitty bosses and expect a lot more than they should from their employees

Definitely this.
Their mindset is usually "Well, I'm putting in the extra effort and hours, so why don't you?" completely oblivious to the fact that them growing their company and finances does nothing for their employees save for some job security.
Asked one of these types for a day off once for my birthday and he replied "Well, I don't take days off for my birthday" as if my life should revolve around his store.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

This is part of the problem with "mom and pop" places. Whether you have your job or not can often be on the whims of the owners. That's not really a problem unless the owner is shitty which can happen rather often

Places run by corpos on the other hand will usually have rules they have to go through with HR to get rid of someone mostly so they can avoid a lawsuit which ironically helps protect employees from just getting fired on the spot

They expect a lot and pay a little. They give special treament to relatives.

upward mobility is often more limited than corperate jobs, without protections from a real HR
the family is the HR at a family business and theyre always going to side with and be witnesses for each other
outsiders regardless of performance will always be the first cut too when the owners want to downsize

like u have to be talented enough to basically print them money for the family to decide to keep u over a relative

corperate jobs still got their share of hassles and issues with structured discrimination, but its usually much worse with a job that has u workin for a family business because theres next to zero employee protections u can call when youre being scammed or discriminated against

working for a fam business that aint your own usually only gives u one option to fix issues: quit

Axiom posted...

This is part of the problem with "mom and pop" places. Whether you have your job or not can often be on the whims of the owners. That's not really a problem unless the owner is shitty which can happen rather often

Places run by corpos on the other hand will usually have rules they have to go through with HR to get rid of someone mostly so they can avoid a lawsuit which ironically helps protect employees from just getting fired on the spot

*looks for job at a mom and pop place in the hopes I get abruptly fired and can collect unemployment "

Working for an unrelated family owned business is a viable option for the unemployed, but it generally should not be a long term arrangement. They should be treated as space fillers until you have secured an industry position elsewhere. As much as some corporate HR overreach can seem taxing to work with, it still mitigates a lot of potential ways you can get screwed working for jobs without government monitored guidelines.

Friend of mine used to work for a family owned auto parts store for years and customers complimented his skill with automotive needs. The owners loved having him around because it resolved a lot of their problems. Unfortunately, they also hired their lazy daughter part time and she ended up disliking my friend who was clearly a better worker. She didn't like hearing compliments for him and not for her, so she threatened to fail college classes unless they "found a reason" to fire him. The parents caved and wrongfully fired my friend. Yes, there's ways to report discrimination like that, but it's significantly more tedious and less reliable than corporate channels. My friend just moved on. It sucks, but there's some jobs where that's the more practical thing to do.

The family ended up "discontinuing" their daughter's employment at the shop and called my friend to come back, but he was already working some place with better pay. My point is cases of nepotism increase when working for family owned businesses you're not a relative to. And the reasons you can get canned are pretty ridiculous. Even if it's a full time position, you should treat it as a part time place holder for more secure employment.

My boss talks about one of her first jobs working at a store where the husband and wife always disagreed with each other. Made it super awkward when one of them told her to arrange things one way and then the other came in to tell her she was doing it all wrong.

One of my favourite jobs I've had was working at a small family owned printing shop. The pay wasn't great, but I liked everything else about the job.

Phantom36 posted...

This. Nepotism rules. Relatives and friends will often get promotions into higher positions and opportunities for more pay over anyone who's infinitely more qualified.

Truth.

Most of the negatives have been covered, but there are some positives too.

These people are often rubes that are easily manipulated. It's easier to strong arm an idiot into getting what you want from them. Family has that extra layer of being wary of crossing eachother because of love or whatever. You can easily take advantage of that when there's family strife. You're not family. You'll fuck them over in a heartbeat. Let them know it.

There's a local family-owned restaurant and only the family members are allowed to work in the kitchen and they actually make a lot more than the other workers. Everyone else is just paid below minimum wage with tips.

Remember when yall was all like "SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES"? LMAO