I am wary of companies that always declare that “we are one big, happy family here!”. That is specially true when we are still in the interview and recruitment phase.

I also am wary of job candidates who are looking for a “family environment” at work.

Work is work. You can build friendships with your colleagues and your teammates — I, for one, have close friendships borne out of being workmates first.

But work is work — it isn’t family.

When the tough gets going, the managers and leaders of the “work” will have to make tough calls. And it could include severing ties with some of their employees.

Families don’t just sever ties with their members when the going gets tough. Workplaces do.

Families also exist for the sake of the family. Workplaces and company exist for the business — for the p&l statement, for the income statement, for the balance sheet, for the cash flow.

Work isn’t family. Let’s not be deluded by the idea that work is family.