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Boundaries

“We’re like family here!”

Mike Domitrz, CSP
May 23, 2025
1 min read

“We’re like family here!”

Sounds nice until it’s used to cross boundaries.

Because sometimes “family” in the workplace really means:

👉 Working late without notice

👉 Taking on tasks beyond your role

👉 Feeling guilty for saying no

Let’s be clear:

Healthy families respect limits.

In the workplace, being “like family” should look like:

✔️ Asking, not assuming

✔️ Respecting personal time

✔️ Valuing effort, not exploiting it

The real issue?

Using emotional language to justify unfair expectations.

That’s not care. It’s manipulation.

Workplaces can be warm, human, and supportive, without guilt-tripping people into burnout.

Boundaries build respect.

Respect builds trust.

Trust builds teams that stay.

That’s what a healthy workplace should look like.

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