Steven: I know your previous experience will be invaluable to us, but I can’t work only when I want to, so why should you to be able to do that?

 

Karen: My life is more complex—with two young children and a house to

run. But with flex-time, I could still work with you and Dad. Why couldn’t I do some work from home?

 

Dad: Your brother, Steven, has a house and kids, too. And so do most of the people who work here. Are we going to offer this to everybody?

 

Dad’s concerns: Family members have to set the highest example of hard work. How can Karen work the hours best for her and not create resentment in Steven and her co-workers?

 

Steven’s concerns: I’d like to see Karen work with us. But how can she expect to have a position of responsibility on a flex-time basis? I’m worried that half my day would be spent following up on things that would have been her responsibility if she worked full-time.

 

Karen concerns: I want to work with my father and brother, but I also have a responsibility to my husband and children. What do I do if school is called off or if one of the kids is sick? It’s easy for Dad and Steven. They have wives at home.

 

Karen’s dilemma is increasingly common today. Men are still considered the traditional family breadwinners, while the vast majority of working women are considered the primary family caregivers. Even though flex-time schedules are gaining popularity in the workplace, they are not yet a standard practice.

 

What to do…

 

1. Family members need to discuss the ground rules for Karen’s entry into the business. The more Dad and Steven value Karen’s potential contribution to the business, the more understanding they will be of her scheduling needs. flex-time may work better for some positions than for others, so if Karen wants a flexible schedule, both she and the company might have to be flexible in her role as well.

 

2. Family members in the business need to decide what work standards will apply to employees across the board. Some family businesses are built on the premise that rules can differ for family and non-family members. Others feel that every employee must be treated the same.

 

3. Karen and her husband must establish their own priorities and determine how to achieve a balance between the conflicting demands of career and family.

 

When women seek non-traditional work programs, men often react as though they’re asking for special treatment. Frequently, they’ll play the “you wanted to be treated the same” card, and women must be ready to present their arguments in a way that anticipates and counters this type of reaction from men.

 

A successful family business recognizes that survival depends on adaptation to change. While equal treatment for men and women in the workplace is the ideal, there are still considerations to be negotiated. Ultimately, men may find that family-friendly policies can work to their advantage as well.