/ Publisher's Letter / PUBLISHERS LETTER

Set Your Boundaries Before Real Life Interrupts.

Let’s face it: in the service industry, it’s all too easy to blur the line between the personal and the professional. After all, members of the service profession are often required to fulfill assignments on the home turf of their employers. Since a home setting is less structured and more intimate than a corporate setting, there is often the tendency for workers to become too familiar with their bosses—and even for the employers themselves to become overly friendly with those they have hired. The result of this laissez-faire approach can be disastrous, as I have witnessed time and again.

Employees and employers should refrain from considering one another “friends” or “confidantes.” Ultimately, overstepping one’s boundaries can have ill effects on both parties. In order to develop a healthy employer-employee relationship in this industry, it is crucial to understand what one’s role entails and to work within these parameters.

FOR THE EMPLOYERS
Your employees are working in your personal territory, so it is only natural that they may be privy to very personal details of your life. They may be present when you argue with your children or your spouse, and they may witness your own reactions to life’s disappointments.

No matter how much information your employees know about you, involving them in family feuds or soliciting advice from them will only result in a lose-lose situation. By asking your employees to take sides or offer their opinions on a personal matter, you are putting them in an uncomfortable and compromising position. I have seen many candidates lose their jobs as a result of these type of scenarios. Involving your employees in such matters will distract them from completing the tasks they are being hired to do. And, more often than not, involving your employee in such personal conflicts will only exacerbate the situation and lead to more drama.

As an employer, if you constantly cross the line, you risk losing your employees’ respect. Your employees may come to associate you as a peer or friend rather than a boss, and they may not take your instructions seriously.

This does not mean that you should not show care and appreciation for your employees, which always has its place. I urge you, however, always to remember that they are not your friends. An effective working relationship requires you always to set the bar for your employees. The best way to go about this is by maintaining a cordial and respectful but strictly professional relationship with them.

FOR THE EMPLOYEES
Unlike traditional work settings, this line of work does not present a clear distinction between being “in” and being “out” of the office. Typically, you are performing your duties in an informal environment within the vicinity of your employer and his or her family. It is up to you, ultimately to maintain professionalism, even under the most chaotic of situations. You should never allow yourself to be drawn into personal or family conflicts. A wise employee knows how to extract him- or herself in a professional manner in order to save his or her job.

It is a safe practice to remember that you are not a member of your employer’s family, no matter how often your employer tells you this. Rather, you have been hired to perform a specific service—and no matter how comfortable or secure you may feel in the workplace, you must always dedicate your efforts to doing the best job you possibly can. After all, your employer evaluates you on your ability to effectively complete your assigned responsibilities, not on how well you take to the role of “friend.”

Understanding the dynamics of the employer-employee relationship in this distinct industry will reap long-term rewards for both parties, and it will pave the way for a prosperous environment.