Hiring friends as staff: good or bad idea?

I've always pondered around about this idea because the co-owner of my community has also been my friends for years and our partnership has worked over the years.

I'm wondering though - how many forum owners here have hired their friends to become staff? Was it a good move by you or a bad move? Let us know.

Personally, I know some people are against hiring friends because if things go wrong, you might not be friends anymore - but what's your opinion on this topic?

 

Hiring friends as staff is a good move, as one could talk to them when they're messing up than one would do to an outsider.
Again, the trust is always there, you know them personally and you don't have to be constantly afraid of them going bad, or doing the unexpected.
I've done it, and it was a good move.

 

If they are as motivated to making your forum better as much as you, then i cant see anything wrong with it.
But same rules should apply to them as does to the rest of your staff.

 

I don't believe in working with friends or relatives. I have only one friend who's helped me A LOT all these years. She's always been there for me, she was the one I tuned to for help. Was a mod in my forums and content creator for years. She's the only one I trusted with passwords, when left for a longer vacation. But she's an exception to the rule. Most of the time people who are close to you expect a preferential treatment. Well, for me they are members and that's it. They don't get extra-privileges just cause we're friends, but, if they are good for the community (as my friend was) they get privileges based on their own merits.

 

If they work for free then yes it is a good idea to hire friends as mods or staffs but even if you need to pay them, you need people you trust to manage your website/forum to make it run flawlessly.

 

This is a tough call. I've done that and so far it's worked out well.

But I can imagine how that wouldn't be the case with everyone. The good/ bad thing with friends is the fact that you KNOW them. That's both a blessing and a curse depending on how it's viewed.

 

I do not think it is a bad idea to hire friends in some cases. It would depend on whether or not they have the knowledge and skills to work for you. I would also make it clear from the beginning that you will expect good work even though they are friends.

 

The only time I think it's okay to work with friends like that is if they are there from the very beginning and a part of it. I don't think it's a good idea to bring them in after the fact and expect them to do exactly what you want, how you want it, when you want it, and to be okay with scolding or whatever. That's just my own personal style, though, and maybe it'd work fine for others.

 

I've had dozens of people on my team, and no one is more lazy than friends bless their souls . Its like that in work environments, organizations, sometimes even teams. Just human nature in my opinion.

 

Although there can be friction if it doesn't work out (never lend money to friends, EG) I suppose the up-side is that you usually know their strengths and weaknesses better than you would know a strangers.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's not a TOTALLY bad idea. But there has to be an understanding between both parties. Friendship is friendship. And business is business. Just because a business decision has to be made and is tough at times can't be allowed to severe a friendship. It's tough to have that sort of boundary honestly though.

 

Are we talking about RL friends or the friends we've made online?

I won't consider hiring someone I haven't known online for at least a year. Even if I am not buddies with them, I'd have a good idea of what they are like.

 

About forums it's not so big deal, but avoid to hire friends in serious business, especially when there are connections like boss-servant. The mechanisms of the working are making people different and it may hurt their friendship. In fact it's quite possible to occur in the forums too. Depends a lot of the friends' characters.

 

From personal experience, I've found it bad since all they've done is let you down

 

I am sorry you had a bad experience with your friends. The worst thing is loosing friendships due to board drama

I like to think we are level headed and have gotten to the point where we can say it like it is, thus avoid any issue from festering into a full blown problem that can't be solved without hurt feelings