It’s one of the most overused—and often misleading—phrases in employer branding.
The truth? Top talent hears this and runs. Here’s why—and what to say instead to actually attract the best candidates.
Why “We’re Like Family” Is a Red Flag
At first glance, “family” sounds warm and inviting. But in practice, it often signals:
🚩 Unhealthy boundaries – “Family” implies overtime is expected, personal time isn’t respected, and loyalty is demanded over fairness.
🚩 Lack of professionalism – Families don’t fire underperformers. Great teams do.
🚩 Exclusionary culture – Not everyone fits the “family” mold (and that’s okay).
What candidates actually hear:
“We’ll expect you to go above and beyond—without fair compensation or work-life balance.”
What to Say Instead (5 Employer Branding Upgrades)
1. “We Trust You Like Adults”
✅ What it signals: Autonomy, flexibility, respect.
✅ How to show it:
- Highlight your remote-first policies
- Showcase outcome-based performance (not micromanagement)
- Share stories of employee-led decisions
2. “We Invest in Growth—Not Just Work”
✅ What it signals: Career development matters here.
✅ How to show it:
- Feature promotion timelines (e.g., “60% of managers were promoted internally”)
- Share learning budgets (e.g., “$3K/year for courses”)
- Highlight failed projects as learning opportunities
3. “We Disagree—Then Commit”
✅ What it signals: Psychological safety, no echo chambers.
✅ How to show it:
- Post real team debates (e.g., “Slack vs. Async Comms: How We Decided”)
- Share constructive conflict frameworks you use (e.g., “We follow Amazon’s ‘Disagree and Commit’ rule”)
4. “We Fix What’s Broken”
✅ What it signals: We listen and improve.
✅ How to show it:
- Publish “Before/After” case studies (e.g., “How we cut meeting hours by 40%”)
- Respond to Glassdoor/Reddit critiques with action (e.g., “You said PTO was unclear → Here’s our new policy”)
5. “We Celebrate Work and Life”
✅ What it signals: No martyr culture.
✅ How to show it:
- Show employees’ side projects/passions (e.g., “Meet Mark—Senior Dev and Professional Potter”)
- Flaunt real work-life boundaries (e.g., “No emails after 6 PM”)
How to Test If Your Culture Message Works
Ask candidates in interviews:
- “How would you describe our culture based on what you’ve seen?”
- “What’s one thing that surprised you—good or bad—about us?”
If they parrot your website, you’re being too generic. If they mention specific, human details, you’re nailing it.
Key Takeaway
Great cultures don’t demand loyalty—they earn it.
Stop saying “family.” Start proving:
✔ We respect you (with actions, not slogans)
✔ We challenge you (with growth, not guilt)
✔ We reward you (fairly, not with “exposure”)
