Truth Time: Why Your Employees Don't See You as Family (And How to Build Something Better)

Let's tell our employees the truth.

I become concerned when I hear companies describe themselves as a family.

Companies and families have different goals, different ground rules, and different expectations.

➤ Parents typically don’t think in terms of the ROI when investing in their kids.

➤ Kids don’t get laid off when the family isn’t doing well.

➤ Parents don’t fire their children when they misbehave or performance slips.

Of course, companies are not families.

And all the talk about 'we're a family' in employee handbooks, town hall meetings, and leadership speeches, although likely well-intentioned, is disingenuous.

Employees know better.

However…

Your company can be a robust community – a place where we’re bonded by a shared mission. A place where we value and learn from one another. A place that is filled with collaboration, support, and camaraderie.

Let’s help our companies and teams become a strong and vibrant community.

We don’t need to call it a family to accomplish this.