Why Companies Should Not Aspire To Be ‘Like A Family’

Some companies express their culture with the phrase: ‘we are like a family.’ This can conjure feelings of unity, camaraderie, and support. While this sounds like an ideal company culture, a family dynamic does not translate well to the workplace. Here’s why companies should not aim to be ‘like a family.’

Establishes Fixed Roles

In a family, roles are established early on and remain fairly consistent. Companies that exude familial vibes will define individual employees by their hired role and department. Workers that aspire beyond their position and business unit may be regarded negatively by the organization. This narrow lens does not foster a culture of growth and new opportunities. Change in these workplace environments may be frowned upon, mirroring how it is difficult to drastically alter family dynamics. Organizations should want their employees to expand into new roles and contribute their value in multiple ways.

Creates A Lack Of Accountability

While a family structure holds space for unconditional admiration, this outlook can weaken an organization. Family members are accepted even if they make poor choices. Translating this to a work environment will create a toxic culture. All employees and leaders should be held accountable to perform and behave ethically. A culture that mirrors the household may look the other way when an employee underperforms, misjudges a situation, or poorly communicates. Feedback is vital to an organization – with 80% of employees feeling fully engaged when receiving meaningful feedback in the past week, according to a 2023 study by Gallup. Leaders need to provide insightful evaluations and encourage upwards feedback in return. Overlooking errors and being hesitant to bring up issues will not only cause the workplace culture to crumble, but also lead to an underperforming business.

Encourages A Cult-Like Mindset

A family unit focuses on preserving the success of the group. While a sense of community and support reflects a positive company culture, prioritizing the establishment over the individual adversely impacts an organization. A cult-like mentality can perpetuate, dissuading employees from offering different perspectives or speaking up when something is amiss. Like how a family typically has a head of the household with final decision-making power, leaders seeking to emulate this environment may feel impervious to dissent. Overall, an autocratic culture creates unease and can negatively impact task performance. Companies leading with the ‘we are like a family’ mantra expect to be prioritized above everything else, just like one prioritizes their family.

Companies are not families. Believing an organization should operate like a family creates a toxic work environment. Positive characteristics of families and businesses can overlap, such as ongoing communication and encouragement, but a company is a distinct entity. Successful organizations generate their own unique culture and dynamics representative of each individual employee.