Business Risk in Marital Convenience

While on a train journey, I met a lady of my mother’s age. She enquired about my job and about what my spouse does. When she came to know that wife was in a very un-matching profession than mine, she started sharing her apprehensions. Her son and her daughter-in-law both had same qualifications and were working in similar consultancy profiles for two competing companies. She expressed happiness that whenever one of them needed help on professional front, the other was right there to help. She thought that both ‘gained’ and hence rose fast because of their same job profiles. But I had my doubts.

I wonder if the two companies where they are working know about their case. In consultancy, there is lot of confidential client information involved, which should be protected at all cost. In the lady’s case, such secrecy is defeated. Secondly, companies also guard their confidential procedures, systems, checks and loop-holes from their competitors. What if the husband and wife kept feeding each other with confidential client information; which actually helped them win accounts ‘individually’? Both these guys would become outstanding performers due to their nexus, but their companies might start losing lots of prospects and money in the process! This is why I believe that companies should be watchful of such circumstances during the background check stage. If husband and wife are in the same profession, both of them could be given offer of employment by the company. That would be a good proposition. But if a critical employee’s spouse is working with a competitor, there is lot at the stake in the long run.

On the other hand, a couple in the same profession may lack ‘variety’ in life. I don’t know anyone who loves absolute monotony percolating from office to home. And for help, we can always trust good colleagues and close friends! Being in different professions would also avoid any ‘ego-clash’ which is inevitable in same profession couples. Bottom-line: I see more advantages than disadvantages in couples having different professions. What say you?

- Rahul