Would you hire two friends?

[Mark Atkinson]

This one might spark some debate:

We've been looking for a talented designer to join our team and we found one that piqued our interest. Coincidentally, we've also been looking for somebody to take over some of my roles in the business and we've found another potential candidate for that too. The only problem: they're best friends!

They've also both expressed interest in working for us as a team.

I'm just wondering whether this might not upset the dynamic of a very small team? The last thing you want is 50% of your team ruling the roost, so to speak.

That being said, it's quite obvious that they work extremely well together and complement each other very well, so it could possibly be a good thing.

My guess is that in a bigger environment with a larger team, it wouldn't make as much of a difference as it might in a very small team like ours currently is.

What are your thoughts?

[HR Solutions]

From our experience, I would hire him. Think about it this way. Whoever you hire would fit into the team and make friends with some of the others in the group. Therefore they would now be friends and could very well end up best friends. Obviously there could be downfalls to hiring him, but you have already said they work well together. Manage them properly, set down the ground rules and it could end up being the best thing ever

[Blurock]

As long as you're hiring for the right reasons. You said that they are capable and complement each other. They should work well together - that's enough reason for me!

[adrianh]

I'm with HR Solutions on this one.

[Hermes14]

This one might spark some debate:

We've been looking for a talented designer to join our team and we found one that piqued our interest. Coincidentally, we've also been looking for somebody to take over some of my roles in the business and we've found another potential candidate for that too. The only problem: they're best friends!

What are your thoughts?

I don't see anything wrong with them being friends if it is still your company & you will be managing it.
You are going to have to keep your business relationship & friendship with them separate.
When there are decisions to be made hear their point of view but make sure the final decision lies with you.
Get yourself a few books on management & human relations

[Mike C]

Hiring two people who are best friends would be no issue in a big company. I think that in a small business it could have the potential of creating a "power group" if they decide to gang up on management on a few issues. For example: Best friends might share their remuneration packages with each other and cause hassles if they think that the one is being favoured above another.

As long as ground rules (as recommended by HR Solutions) are in place before any hiring is done, and any warning signs are dealt with immediately - things should be ok.

[Mark Atkinson]

I think this discussion has gone in just about the direction I expected it to go. Thanks for all the replies so far.

Hiring two people who are best friends would be no issue in a big company. I think that in a small business it could have the potential of creating a "power group" if they decide to gang up on management on a few issues. For example: Best friends might share their remuneration packages with each other and cause hassles if they think that the one is being favoured above another.

As long as ground rules (as recommended by HR Solutions) are in place before any hiring is done, and any warning signs are dealt with immediately - things should be ok.

That pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter. The problem comes in the form of me not being able to participate in the day-to-day running of the business from next year onward. My partner is a little less assertive and I think might be a little overwhelmed by what could turn into a power group, so to speak.

While both employees are talented, I wouldn't want my current team to feel like control of the business they've worked so hard on developing has been so easily transferred to two new guys. This is a real threat only because A: it's a small team and B: we work in a creative field where the two new employees will play a pretty important part in each job.

I don't see anything wrong with them being friends if it is still your company & you will be managing it.

See above.

Get yourself a few books on management & human relations

I'm actually a huge fan of Rand Fishkin's management style together with his hiring policy and company culture. These are embodied in what SEOMoz calls the TAGFEE Tenets - very interesting for those of you who are interested in that sort of management style. Rand is possibly the most respected SEO guy in the world at the moment. He gets my respect not only for his inbound marketing talents, but for his management style and what is actually a fantastic grassroots story of his rise to success.

[tec0]

Keep a close eye on the ball here. I have seen how this can get very ugly... Make sure they understand that business is business and when it comes to business you expect them to preform to the best of there abilities and that no "slack" will be tolerated. A few jobs back I worked under 4 bosses aka friends... Needless to say that regardless of the fact that I made R30k for the company per week I could not keep all 4 bosses happy. The one took away my training the other forced me into high profile situations and the third wanted me to do in house repairs. The forth used me as a PA... I ended up doing everything and the 4 bosses got angry because the one didn't see the other doing there work "As I was doing it" Conflict started and regardless of a healthy profit of R120k [just from my side] a month the business flopped. Total business income was about R450k a month. (That is considered a strong business in my book)

What I am getting at is this,
A> Establish each a role in the company and make them aware of there responsibility towards the company and you.
B> Make sure each reports to you on a day by day base thus allowing you to see if possible troubles exist
C> Make sure they know who is the boss because you don't want a conflict of "he said they said" arguments.
D> Just stay level headed regardless of the fact they are friends make sure they do there jobs and not each-other's jobs.

[workshop]

The decision maker occupies a lonely space. Everything depends on you and how you manage and incentivise "your" team.

[Blurock]

All the advice offered is valid. Make sure that you put everything in a signed employment contract to which the parties agree. The worst thing that one can do in business is to work on assumptions because you're dealing with a friend.