'Labelling a company or organisation as a family does have the potential to send the opposite message'
Leaders are often heard likening their workplaces to a "family" - but a recent trend is showing employees are starting to push back against this narrative.
Posts from employees across social media are calling out statements such as "We're a big family here" as red flags from an organisation - or a warning sign of a toxic company culture.
Lauren Anderson, Indeed Australia's talent strategy advisor, said businesses likely intend to make such proclamations to describe a "special bond" between team members and the organisation.
"However, labelling a company or organisation as a family does have the potential to send the opposite message," she said in recent webinar.
"If the workplace really is like a family, then perhaps it speaks to blurred boundaries, unrealistic expectations, or risk the rise of exploitative behaviours rather than the good vibes that were absolutely intended when someone wrote these in their job or on their career page."
According to Anderson, the reality is that workplaces and families are different.
"The reality is that my family has tried and true of options of the silent treatment, grounding, or banning the internet [that] are probably not going to cut the mustard for disciplinary action with an HR framework."
"So, in the end, using family language can blur these lines and confuse the usual work arrangement, unless we are being explicit about where our family starts, and it ends."
Anderson further delved about workplace red flags and what employees really want from their organisations in this webinar.
