I want to divorce my interferring family. Help!

Dear Aunty B,

Help! I am literally going off my tree. I hired my cousin to be my bookkeeper and my nephew to assist in sales. The problem is that my workplace is now the subject of family gossip. They are all well meaning but they feel free to raise any issue we are having and debate it ad nauseam.

First I want to go to family functions and relax, not dissect my business. And secondly, I am sick and tired of listening to their ill-informed criticism and their stupid suggestions when they have no idea of the marketplace and the pressures we face. The last straw was my cousin telling everyone that I am paying some women less than the men which caused the women in my family to refuse to serve me dinner because I was sexist! Which I am not.

Dt,
NSW

Dear Dt,

Oh dear. Every time I tell my dear readers not to hire family, the Family Business Association gets very narky with me. Anyway, you have hired them so now you have to deal with them.

Here is what you must do. Sit them down and read then the riot act. Tell them it’s like the end of year footy trip. What happens in the business stays with the business.

Explain quite openly the problems it is causing: you can’t switch off and enjoy family time because it is open slather. Make it very clear to them that it is interfering with your family relationships because they get the wrong end of the stick and cannot place the comments in any meaningful context.

Besides, they are breaching workplace confidences. Remind them that their employment contracts state that they are not to talk about confidential information or any information that might have an impact on the firm. Tell them that the confidences they are sharing with family fits into that category.

Tell them things will only work if they keep their mouths shut! Be very firm. Be their boss!
And if they don’t like it, too bad. Help them get another job somewhere else.

Good luck,
Your Aunty B