Here's the scenario.....

Rocky_2

Here is the scenario. Have a great tech, has worked for me for going on 8 years. I hired his fiance 1-1/2 years ago to do office duties. They got married last week. No problems, both do excellent job. Hired a new tech three weeks ago. He came from another heating company he was dissatisfied with due to business practices of owner. His wife was the other company's office manager. She has now submitted a resume to me to come to work for me as well. She is very well qualified and actually ran the same office software (Bottom Line Service) at the other company. Am I asking for trouble to entertain thoughts of hiring her as well? Every single business article I have read says to stay away from Husband/Wife teams, or people who are related. Most articles actually state that you should have a company policy that if employees marry each other, to dismiss one of them so they both are not working for you. Current married employees are great folks and great employees. Am I tempting fate to have two pairs of Husband/Wife teams working for me? What say Ye to this situation?
Thanks,
Rocky

Boiler Guy

My experience

Once lucky .... twice may be trouble, in more ways than one.
I just would not do it. I think you may upset the balance you have now. After all your new man really has to prove Himself first. JMO

jeff_51

knew a guy

who owned a fire sprink co. Husband and wife worked for him. She was office manager, he was auditor. They took him for a bundle. He spent alot and put them both in jail. He never hired related persons again. Just one of the horror stories.

Sweet_2

Worked for a company

Tech was top producer wife was office mgr. The two of them took the company for a lot of money,and ended up shutting the place down, it's risky .

Mad Dog_2

Beware! but you have to go with your gut on this one

If you do, do it, lay down strict rules, don't let ANYONE in your company get THAT much power and KEEP YOUR EYE ON 'em. How about this: Let them tell YOU why you should even consider it. Mad Dog

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jerry scharf_3

I'd pass

Rocky,

Taking a known solid worker, and picking up his "soon to be" for office help is quite different than a new employee who just left a company, his wife having worked for the same company and now she wants to come to you as well. Office managers have a lot to do with how an organization runs, and any favoritism or other stuff really impacts the whole team. You barely know him and you don't know her. Qualification is only a part of what an office manager is about.

I've seen quality people lost due to these kinds of policies, and they need to be tempered with judgement. This isn't one of those cases, IMO.

jerry

Dale

Sex discrimination

You may want to speak to a labor atty. in your state about how to keep or remove husband/wife teams. A business I'm familiar with has a no relatives policy, VERY good idea in my opinion. However hiring spouses had to be removed from the written policy since it was judged to discriminate against women. People getting married if both are at work is protected since firing the wife/partner seems to be against the law. A little advice now may save you some headaches later.

Billy_4

I know a guy, he and his wife worked for my father. The wife wound up leaveing the company because she did not like one of the other girls in the office. He told me that was the best thing that ever happened to his marriage. He said you could actually go home and ask "how was your day""what did you do today" etc...

Too much time with any person is not a good thing, everyone needs time apart.

Rocky_2

Good advice...

> Here is the scenario. Have a great tech, has

> worked for me for going on 8 years. I hired his

> fiance 1-1/2 years ago to do office duties. They

> got married last week. No problems, both do

> excellent job. Hired a new tech three weeks ago.

> He came from another heating company he was

> dissatisfied with due to business practices of

> owner. His wife was the other company's office

> manager. She has now submitted a resume to me to

> come to work for me as well. She is very well

> qualified and actually ran the same office

> software (Bottom Line Service) at the other

> company. Am I asking for trouble to entertain

> thoughts of hiring her as well? Every single

> business article I have read says to stay away

> from Husband/Wife teams, or people who are

> related. Most articles actually state that you

> should have a company policy that if employees

> marry each other, to dismiss one of them so they

> both are not working for you. Current married

> employees are great folks and great employees.

> Am I tempting fate to have two pairs of

> Husband/Wife teams working for me? What say Ye to

> this situation? Thanks, Rocky

Rocky_2

Good advice...

I still do all the check writing and signing. That part doesn't get away from me. I could see some potential problems with loyalty to company versus spouse etc...
Just that this new gal already is familiar with many of the things we already do here in my office. Same software, etc. Currently have my mom and lead techs spouse as office staff. Both do excellent jobs but mom is 75 and I think looking to scale back to maybe half-days. Wow, after reading my own post this place is Nepotism City!
But its ALL GOOD. Maybe if mom cuts to half days, try new gal for half-days? I like some of the answers to my post though, about setting tough rules, not letting anyone but me get hands on my checkbook etc. WE are small company, 4 techs and about $750,000 gross per year. Still not too hard to keep an eye on things. Am I still trying to rationalize this? What say ye?
Thanks,
Rocky

Deanie

I've been there!

My husband and I worked together for 3 years, the first 2 yrs were great, in the third year my husband felt he had to stand up for me when other staff member weren't treating me right( I repeatedly told him let me fight my own battles), we both parted ways with the company but not with each other... things are much better for us working in the same industry as competitors(ha). Now this is where I'm having a tough time, he's company is looking for qualified staff and he continually is asking me why I won't apply . Do you understand?

Terry

basis

dont base your decision on the fact if they are hitched or not.

if you need to hire - base it on their qualifications.
if you dont really need him/her. forget it & get on with the day.

make it clear - monkey business (whether hanky panky or crimminal) will not be tolerated. as long as all rules are put on the table to begin with. all will be good!

g.l.

Unknown

the answer my friend...

is already in the wind.

If you had NO doubt about trouble, you would have not asked!

Run, don't walk, to the exit. I would no longer have two couple working for me then I would like to have a vasectomy through my throat.

YOu are just asking for (a) the couples to have problems at home and bring those problems to the office (b) be counter productive (C) figure out how to screw you (d) she sees what your techs are producing and concinves him he has to get a raise or start his own company (e) all the above.

My advise, DON'T

steve

Carl PE

Heh.

I was just about to point that out, and you beat me to it.

I think Rocky's problem right now is figuring out how to tell the other guy no, since he's already got one couple there.