Eric Partaker argues that calling your company a family is misleading and toxic. Families don't fire people for poor performance or demand sacrifice framed as love. Treat work as a team instead: respect earned, contributions valued, support mutual.
Family is a word that's thrown around a lot in the workplace. But let's get real for a moment. A company is not a family. Families don't sit down at dinner and discuss who will be let go. They don't decide on promotions over drinks and they certainly don't base love on quarterly performance. It's misleading, it's unfair and frankly, it's toxic. It's a tactic used to blur the lines, to ask for loyalty, for sacrifice from employees all under the guise of family. So let's call it what it is. You're part of a team. A good one, hopefully. A team where respect is earned, contributions are valued, everyone pulls their weight and where support is mutual, a team that's not bound by blood but bound by a common goal. So to all employees feeling the strain of this family facade, your frustration is valid. Your time, your energy, your dedication deserve recognition, not manipulation.
