Are you underpaid?

If so, you are not alone.

And if you are employed by your family's business, that could be the reason for the slouching pay packet.

For just as members of the owning family are sometimes overpaid by virtue of their affiliation, the opposite can also be true.

My experience tells me that underpayment particularly affects women from owning families. It has also been my experience that charity projects in particular end up in the "something you can just do for free" category.

Perhaps the challenge is that most of us want to help our family, and also expect help from those closest to us?

Helping and accepting help from your family may not sound like a problem. In fact, it is a natural feature of well-functioning families - in your private life that is.

But the norm of helping loved ones without expecting anything in return can cause problems if carried over into the business world one to one. Actually, it is a recipe for trouble.

Because as an underpaid member of an owner family, you - like everyone else - may feel like you are not valued. And this may damage your motivation and have a debilitating effect on your psyche, just as if you had not been part of the owner family.

And the people around you - family or not - may unconsciously start to question the value you bring to the table, which can damage both your professional and personal relationships.

What does your family business do to prevent underpayment of family members?