Nepotism and the act of avoidance.

[Regular.Cyclist]

I moved to a new job in January which involved me relocating. My wife is still looking for a job opportunity to join me. The area has a relatively low population and suitable job vacancies don’t come up very often.

I’m due to be recruiting very soon and my wife is the ideal candidate, for so many reasons, and will be perfect for the job and my future plans to remove equipment from external contracts, bringing the work in house.

I have already informed my deputy that, in event of her applying, they will need to lead the recruitment, but I will still like to be kept informed to ensure that the process follows the usual high standard. That oversight will be around the process itself and around the questions and assessments carried out at interview (she meets the person spec in full so there is no practical reason she shouldn’t be shortlisted).

It’s not a perfect solution for us (me and my wife) but the situation is apparently not unusual in this area.

Anyone else found themselves in a similar situation?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
@Regular.Cyclist should I move this to Personal Matters?

 

[Drago]

Not in terms of recruitment, but there were occasions when, as duty station sergeant, I was Mrs D's boss. In practice I had virtually nothing to do with her work.

If you're being open and honest and letting someone else make the decisions then you've done the right thing. I hope it works out for you both 🤞

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Mod Note:
@Regular.Cyclist should I move this to Personal Matters?

Happy for where it fit best.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Not in terms of recruitment, but there were occasions when, as duty station sergeant, I was Mrs D's boss. In practice I had virtually nothing to do with her work.

If you're being open and honest and letting someone else make the decisions then you've done the right thing. I hope it works out for you both 🤞

I was her bosses boss and, for a period of time, her bosses bosses boss so have experience of putting safeguards in place.

 

[figbat]

The company I last worked for had a hard rule - absolutely no family allowed in a reporting line. I did work there for nearly 30 years alongside my wife (we met there), sometimes in adjacent roles and for while at adjacent desks, but never in each other’s reporting lines.

People asked frequently what it was like working with your wife? It’s all I ever knew, so I would respond: what’s it like not working with your wife?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

As long as you have absolutely no influence over the recruitment process then I think it good. If you interfere in any way, it’s a conflict of interest, plus you may not recruit the best candidate (who may not be your wife).

 

[Psamathe]

One thought, an aspect to be considered and maybe managed is that should she be the successful candidate how that would be perceived by the existing staff. Would they happily accept she was the best candidate or would there be murmurings and could that be managed.

Might there be any risk that a deputy might feel it better to "stay on your good side" and thus be indirectly influenced just because you also dictate their reviews, pay rises, etc. ie do what they think their boss would like.

Maybe get somebody more senior involved in the oversight role rather than yourself being "kept informed" so you can completely have no absolutely no involvement in the recruitment process.

Of course much depends on the company, etc. so just aspects I'd be thinking about.

 

[Drago]

I was her bosses boss and, for a period of time, her bosses bosses boss so have experience of putting safeguards in place.

The only problem I encountered was Mrs D telling the duty Inspector to let her know if I was naughty and she would send me to bed with no tea.

On the plus side, having the same surname (many female officers keep their maiden name at work to avoid cofusion) meant I was regularly praised for work Mrs D had done. "Just doing my job!" became my regular refrain.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

One thought, an aspect to be considered and maybe managed is that should she be the successful candidate how that would be perceived by the existing staff. Would they happily accept she was the best candidate or would there be murmurings and could that be managed.

Might there be any risk that a deputy might feel it better to "stay on your good side" and thus be indirectly influenced just because you also dictate their reviews, pay rises, etc. ie do what they think their boss would like.

Maybe get somebody more senior involved in the oversight role rather than yourself being "kept informed" so you can completely have no absolutely no involvement in the recruitment process.

Of course much depends on the company, etc. so just aspects I'd be thinking about.

Fair questions.

Trying not to be biased in my own opinion, she is, on paper (and in practice from what I have observed) more highly trained than any of the existing team and is happy to share that knowledge for the improvement of others. The team are already aware that she will apply and they have not indicated any discontent.

It is a reasonably senior position that I am advertising, one she has already worked in for over 15 years. It is historically difficult to fill such positions in our profession and there is no reason to think it would be any different this time around.

It is a very remote possibility that a stronger candidate will apply but, should one do so, then they would be a welcome addition to the team, and I hope that my deputy would be strong enough to stand by his decision.

 

[Psamathe]

Fair questions.

Trying not to be biased in my own opinion, she is, on paper (and in practice from what I have observed) more highly trained than any of the existing team and is happy to share that knowledge for the improvement of others. The team are already aware that she will apply and they have not indicated any discontent.

It is a reasonably senior position that I am advertising, one she has already worked in for over 15 years. It is historically difficult to fill such positions in our profession and there is no reason to think it would be any different this time around.

It is a very remote possibility that a stronger candidate will apply but, should one do so, then they would be a welcome addition to the team, and I hope that my deputy would be strong enough to stand by his decision.

Remembering I have no idea about your company and the nature of the teams and roles but I'd be seeing a lot of conflict eg you say "reasonably senior position that I am advertising" so you are already involved in specifying the role, responsibilities and ... your wife fits the bill perfectly. In some companies, some people that the team have not indicated any discontent might be that you're their boss and in some companies you want your career to progress or even pay rises then expressing discontent with your boss recruiting his wife is not a good idea.

If she is "more highly trained than any of the existing team" potential for some to see husband bringing in wife to be senior to them, closing off their potential to progress. If you've not been there that long potential for it to be perceived as husband and wife team taking over.

Thinking about managerial positions I've held and teams I've managed bringing in a partner would just not happen (I'd not have done it and had I tried I'd have been stopped). I would wonder if giving your deputy responsibility is putting them in a difficult position, particularly when you are in effect still part of the recruitment process eg. assuming your wife gets an interview you'll be being briefed by your deputy as well as chatting to your wife about how it went ...

But I'll shut-up as much must depend on circumstances and my personal experience might not be relevant to your situation.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

.If she is "more highly trained than any of the existing team" potential for some to see husband bringing in wife to be senior to them, closing off their potential to progress. If you've not been there that long potential for it to be perceived as husband and wife team taking over.

Whilst reasonably senior, there are other members of the team at the same level and I have already opened up the only guaranteed progression route for one of them. They are already 6 months into a two year training program.

 

[Drago]

I doesnt matter what the PEONS think or the impression they may have. Its none of their business. Too many people spend their working lives sticking their noses in to things that don't concern them instead of getting on with their own job.

Provided management are happy that its transparent and above board then that's all that matters.

 

[steveindenmark]

If she is the best person for the job hire her. Both myself, my brother and my nephew worked for the same company. My boss often said he wished there were more of us. 😁

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

If she is the best person for the job hire her. Both myself, my brother and my nephew worked for the same company. My boss often said he wished there were more of us. 😁

When she applied for her current position she didn’t hear back for nearly a week following the interview. They apologised immediately when they did call as the wanted her to start, but not at the pay/ position offered in the advert. They had spent the week working on getting the position upgraded to offer it to her.