Discussion

Nepotism is basically the act of hiring relatives. This may be a very common practice in everyday life for family owned companies. It may also happen in non family owned companies. In the non family owned companies it may be more of recommending instead of hiring. If you apply to work for the family company and a relative is also applying then who do you think is going to get the job? I haven't heard of a law saying that you can't discriminate against non family members.

Emotional Hook

Some of us have worked for a family owned company. When you are not part of the family and work for them this can create some bad feelings. You might ask why, but it is because family members in the company usually end up getting special treatment. The special treatment may mean good pay right off the bat or getting the easy jobs. The family members in the company know each other better and act as a group. You may find yourself feeling like the outcast. Has this every happened to you? Do you feel the same way or was your company different?

Key Points in The Discussion

Depending on where you sit can affect how you feel about this topic. If you work for a family company it may offend you if others don't like the company. You might take offense because they aren't just attacking the company but also the family. If you are family and work for the family company you might not understand how good you have it.

Question

How can we remedy this situation of favoritism in family companies?