Small business owners can I have your advice please.

[Seasaltyhair]

A family member needed to get back on their feet so I offered them a small but important role within my business. Ive known this person a long time. They were always a responsible person but has had a really traumatic time not in the too distant past. I thought this job would lift them back up again. They are due to start shortly.

But I get the distinct feeling they feel they are doing me a favour. They don’t answer my messages for important information or acknowledge time frames for when they need to complete course or give in their documents. They can not start with out them. Their disinterest is making me worried about the travel commitment they will have to do.

I regret offering the role. I don’t know how to rescind it with out it causing a family argument. I spoke to them a while ago about not replying to messages and the conversation needed up with me convincing them why they should work there. I feel sorry for them and it’s massively clouded my judgment.

I don’t have this with any of my other staff as it’s professional and efficient. Literally can’t sleep through it as I feel like I’m kicking them in the teeth.

What would you do?

Any one?

Do your employees have a probation period when they start working for you?
This is your business and family argument or not that is your priority. Document everything and follow your procedures, warnings etc.
if your family cause issues keep answers short and to the point. It’s your business, not theirs

I wonder if you can phrase it as “I’m worried I might have asked you to take on too much. You seem to be struggling with all the pre-requisites of the role. Is it too soon for you to return to work?”

Hopefully that might cause them to either convince you they do want the role, or speak up about their reservations. Beyond that, I think the only thing you can do is a very strict probation period and accept you might have to sack them. It does seem like your generosity could backfire but fingers crossed.

DH and I run our own business, and avoid employing family like the plague.

At the end of the day, you remove the personal and just deal with the professional element. You're paying someone to do a job that they refuse to do your way. It's quite simple that you say it isn't working out, and you move on. If you are worried about any bad feeling, give them a month's notice, but say they can leave immediately.

Tell them they will be required to sign an employment contract like all employees and make it clear there is no special treatment. Hopefully that will put them off. Mixing business with family and friends is a recipe for disaster.

Thank ks you for responses.

They have not actually started yet. It’s in a couple of weeks. They have a shit load of courses to get through and they have not even opened them. Not acknowledged the messages I sent yesterday about important documents I need. Yet I can see they have been on the platform I sent them on.

I’m a planner and a worrier and I don’t know if it’s me - as I’ve never had this happen before with some who wants to work with me or it’s them and they can’t actually be arsed or think they can just rock up with nothing processed or prepared.

The posters above are right. Employing friends or family members sometimes does not work out. You have to be hard headed and professional in dealing with them as you would with any other employee. Dont let them make you feel like the bad guy.

I had a very busy period in my small business and offered an opportunity to a young family member to help with packing, taking stuff to the mail, and so on. It was a small but important job which needed to be done on time. Fortunately she was never "formally" employed but on a "self employed/paid for the hours you do" basis.

After several occasions arriving late/not turning up. I told her "this is not working out" and let her go. I think she had agreed at the onset as a way of making money but did not want to put in the actual hours when push came to shove.

In fairness you sent stuff on Christmas Eve, lots of people weren’t working yesterday. Maybe they plan on cracking through the courses from tomorrow.

I would send a message mid next week if the courses haven’t been started, mentioning you will have to push the start date if all the pre-requisites aren’t complete.

That said, is it normal for your employees to have to do induction on their own time?

@tribpot

In fairness you sent stuff on Christmas Eve, lots of people weren’t working yesterday. Maybe they plan on cracking through the courses from tomorrow.

I would send a message mid next week if the courses haven’t been started, mentioning you will have to push the start date if all the pre-requisites aren’t complete.

That said, is it normal for your employees to have to do induction on their own time?

They have had the courses since the beginning of November. It’s not an induction it’s courses they need to have before they can work here. If I employing some one else they would already have them before I considered them. The messages yesterday were already an extension on me asking two weeks ago, then a nudge on Tuesday and then a dead line yesterday- all ignored.

If I ring them they don’t pick up. I’ve asked them outright before if they actually want the job but it got switched round on to me.

I was still working Christmas Eve! Many people do!

Ah okay I see, so this makes the favour even bigger - you were giving them a chance on the promise of them qualifying first.

I think I would write formally and say you are withdrawing the offer until they are qualified. I assume the offer was conditional?

Yes they knew from the start. They had to do the courses and also a DBS. They had plenty of time when the courses were issued. Which of course I’ve paid for

I think I’m just going to have to just bite the bullet. I thought they would run with the opportunity but I don’t think their head is in the right place or they are not taking it as seriously as they have to.

Ouch, so even more of a cheek on their part. I suspect that making it too easy for them may be part of the problem.

Realistically could they complete all the courses by the start date if they really crammed now? I'm wondering if there is any need to cause family disharmony by withdrawing the offer over Christmas rather than, say, 4 January.