Small business owners have it tough in today’s world. There are a lot of big corporations out there always looking to move into a space, and consumers can be easily lured towards them. Often, a big part of small ownership is working with the community and reminding them why you’re the better choice over a big corporation. It all comes down to the personal relationship that owners and their employees build with the community.
However, many small business owners develop close relationships with their employees, and so when their employees have done something wrong, it can be hard to confront them. It’s best to bring an outside person in, one who doesn’t have any former ties to the business, so that they can investigate on a neutral basis. Even hiring an outside accountant is sometimes all you need, as they might be able to look at the books and tell you something is wrong right away. Petty theft with employees can also be a serious problem; they may feel like they’re owed more than what they’ve been given.
There’s nothing wrong with forming close business friendships, but when these friendships cloud serious business problems, that’s when it’s best to bring a third party in. Running a small business is hard enough without employees taking advantage of the trust you have in them.