One of your better performing employees – a good team member with strong potential – recommends their spouse or significant other for a job at your company. Your hiring policy says that it’s okay, as long as they work in separate departments. From your initial review of the prospective employee’s resume, it appears that they have the required skills and experience. So far, so good.
But there are some valid “what ifs” …
- What if the couple has a huge fight or breaks up? What will that do to their productivity? Will their beefs become yours – and vice versa?
- Will they be able to interact professionally? This means setting and sticking to clear boundaries, behaving as colleagues when at work and leaving all suggestions of intimacy at home.
Keep it Above Board
Not only do your employees have to be professional, but so do you. Make your decision based on the same criteria you’d use when hiring any other employee, although you can’t ignore the romantic elephant in the room.
Take a glass half full approach and consider the possible positive implications. Because the couple works together, they have the same vested interest in your business success. It’s likely they’ll contribute even more time and energy – and one will certainly understand when the other has to put in extra hours to meet a deadline. They can even help each other out when it comes to work-related challenges, although they must ensure there’s no favoritism, conflicts of interest or violations of confidentiality.
Ask the Right Questions
When interviewing, look for the same cultural fit you would with other candidates. In this case, that culture includes an already established, close interpersonal relationship. And ad is the case with all applicants, get to know your prospective hire as an individual. Use your interview conversation to pick up on their motivators, interests, and personal behavioral style.
Keep your questions appropriate, but it would be inane to ignore the obvious. Be sure that the candidate – and their significant other – understand your policy and will be able to separate their personal and work “selves.”
Continue the conversation until you’re comfortable with your decision one way or the other. Utilize additional interviewers if you feel you need a second or third opinion. Bottom line: Does this hire have the potential to add value and enhance quality, productivity and profitability? If so, then you most likely have your final answer.
Making the right hire the first time around isn’t always easy, and when it involves a current employee’s spouse or significant other, there’s an added layer of possible positive or negative outcomes. For further guidance with these and other hiring challenges, read our related posts or contact PrideStaff Fresno today.