Last week, the Times, Telegraph and the Times of India all reported on a recent study carried out by Aldi Graduate Recruitment, which has confirmed that the issue of nepotism in the British workplace is still alive and well. The Times of India stated a study that has found that one in three people in Britain land a job through a friend or family member - proving that nepotism is still a major way in which people obtain employment. Research has shown that 11 million people are either employed by a relative or in a position which family members helped them secure and over a third (34 per cent) dodged the interview process completely after some help from a friend.
The old saying "it's not what you know, but who you know" seems as true as ever, as it was reported that nearly two thirds of respondents believe that good contacts are just as important as qualifications when it comes to getting a job. A spokesperson for the survey stated that "recent graduates are having a tougher time than ever with young adults looking for employment through various means - friends, family and social networking".
Part of the reason, alongside total unfairness, why nepotism should be strongly discouraged is that people getting jobs on the back of relatives and friends means that often the best people for the job are not the ones being employed. Linked to this, one in ten of jobs obtained through nepotism gave left soon after they started, most probably due to both the pressure of working with friends and family, and because of bad feeling among other members of staff over their hiring. Therefore, it's important for employers to remember that employing someone they know and trust as a person may not reflect how they act in business and nepotism is not only unjust, but can more often than not cause more trouble than it's worth.
