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Merrick, NY—Do you pride yourself on treating your employees as if they were part of your family? While it seems like the formula for a great place to work, it may in fact be counterproductive and keeping you from reaching the next level of sales or growth.

In a blog post in the Harvard Business Review, author Art Markman, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, writes that the ideal employee relationship is that of a neighbor, not family. Markman examines three kinds of relationships in the context of business: strangers, neighbors, and family. Strangers have little connection to one another; if we need something from a stranger, we pay them to provide it. It’s not an ideal workplace relationship, he says, because every interaction becomes a fee-for-service transaction, and employees are not motivated to go above and beyond their defined role.

At the other end of the spectrum is family, for whom we do whatever is needed and expect nothing in return. But he warns that in an environment where employees are considered “family,” a poor performer may not always be held accountable, demoralizing the rest of the staff and driving productivity down.

In the middle—the ideal relationship for employees and coworkers, he says—is that of a neighbor. Neighbors are people with whom we have a reasonably close connection, whom we will help and from whom we also expect help. It is a relationship with balance, a shared vision, and an established covenant of what is expected from each person to help achieve that vision.

In a healthy workplace with a neighbor-like relationship between employees, everyone works hard and is motivated toward the common goal, because everyone is secure that as much as they are going above and beyond for the organization, the organization in turn is looking out for them.

How to create a neighborly environment for your employees? Markman suggests three good ways are through training, shared purpose, and an open door for employees to interact with top management. Training and interaction with top management conveys that you value your employees, and a shared purpose—such as residential neighbors creating a safe neighborhood—gives everyone a goal to strive for that in turn benefits them.

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Top image: tracihatling.blogspot.com