We Are Not a Family (and that’s a good thing).
2026 has officially been declared the Year of the Family in the UAE. And I genuinely love that.
Family plays a central role in society here, as it should. It represents care, continuity, belonging and responsibility across generations. But let me be very clear about one thing:
Please don’t say your organisation is “like a family”.
Why the family metaphor doesn’t work
A family is unconditional. An organisation is not.
Families don’t conduct performance reviews. They don’t make people redundant. They don’t pretend that power doesn’t exist, or that accountability isn’t real.
And that’s not a criticism. It’s simply the truth. Work is a choice and employment is a contract. Pretending otherwise creates confusion rather than connection.
What leaders mean (and what employees hear)
When leaders describe their organisation as a family, what they often mean is loyalty.
They want people to care, to commit and go the extra mile.
But what employees often hear is something very different:
- “don’t disagree”
- “don’t leave”
- “and don’t make things uncomfortable”
That’s not engagement, that’s emotional pressure.
The hidden risk of “family language”
The family metaphor can unintentionally blur important boundaries.
It can make it harder to challenge decisions, speak up about dysfunction, or admit when something isn’t working Because if you’re “family”, disagreement starts to feel like betrayal, and that’s where organisations get into trouble. Psychological safety doesn’t come from pretending everything is warm and equal. It comes from clarity.
Engagement isn’t about loyalty without limits. And it’s certainly not about staying silent to preserve harmony.
Real engagement is built on:
- respect
- trust
- and the freedom to choose — to stay, to speak up, or to move on
That’s not less human. That’s more honest.
