Resumo: Economic outlook for all countries in which there have been studies on the subject is dominated by family businesses; research has shown that this type of business organizations has an unique character and faces unique challenges because of the interrelation family-business: the selection and preparation of the successor, training and promotion of relatives in the enterprise, incorporation or not of in-laws in the business, and so on. Successfully overcoming these challenges requires effective management of human resources to avoid falling into dysfunctional altruism. However, working with members of the family environment makes it extremely difficult task. The family protocol is presented as a framework agreement to serve the company's management in general, and human resources in particular, to try to successfully overcome the challenges mentioned above. However, after empirical research (based on the use of two questionnaires and a Delphi panel of 12 experts), we conclude that, although there is still a high lack of knowledge of this instrument, it is beginning to be considered and developed by a small number of family businesses
