Working with family can be a difficult experience. It can be hard to separate the employee/co-worker from the person you love and care about. At the end of the day, it can be a challenge managing a convenience store while trying to work efficiently alongside family members.
It’s not easy when everyone involved has a vested interest in the business, and multiple stakeholders means multiple views on how to run things. Running a convenience store under normal circumstances is a fast-paced, daily grind. When family is involved? Things can get tough.
It’s important to try and separate the business from the personal as much as possible. Still, a number of issues can arise when working with family. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Any business can benefit from clearly defining your roles in the workplace. With family members, it is especially true. Who is responsible for managing the inventory or tracking lottery sales? Do not assume that everyone will know exactly what their role is, or that you know best what their role should be.
Play to your strengths. By highlighting your strengths as individuals, you’ll have an easier time figuring out where you all fall together as a team. You will also have an easier time determining where you have blind spots; places there might be a lack of knowledge, know-how, or merely just a differing opinion.
Have regular meetings with your family and reinforce these roles and responsibilities. This is a great opportunity to discuss new business, review past reports, and plan for the future.
Of course not all family members will be part-owners. Running a family business can sometimes mean employing family members as well. It can be hard enough managing a convenience store, but when your employees are related to you things can get challenging. A few tips to keep you on the right track:
Working with family can be a trying experience. Throughout it all, it is important to remember that you are a family first, and business partners or co-workers second. Sometimes it’s important to take time away from managing a convenience store, and manage your family for a while.
Want to learn how CStorePro can help you manage your family business? today.