Why Do People Gravitate Toward Corporate Life? A Journey of Disillusionment
As I transition through my career, I find myself grappling with a question that feels increasingly perplexing: What draws individuals to large organizations and corporate positions? My own recent experience has left me with a sense of confusion and disillusionment that I can’t shake off.
Having spent the first eight years of my professional life in a small company environment, one that had a maximum of 200 employees, I felt like I was part of a close-knit community. The organizational structure was flat—three levels at most: CEO, manager, and junior staff. In this setting, senior team members worked closely with their managers, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and support.
Recently, I ventured into the corporate landscape of a Fortune 500 company, hoping to find growth and opportunities. Instead, my experience turned out to be one of the most challenging I’ve ever faced. From what I gathered on various online platforms, my struggles seem to resonate with many others; a culture of backstabbing, malicious gossip, and overall toxicity is alarmingly common. It clashed so violently with my personal values that I made the tough decision to leave and pursue my own entrepreneurial path.
For almost a decade, I operated under the belief that work should be straightforward: contribute meaningfully, support your colleagues, enhance the company’s profitability, and then head home. Yet stepping into the corporate realm felt like entering a different universe altogether. Instead of collaboration, there seemed to be a focus on undermining others, hoarding information, and engaging in toxic behavior. Unfortunately, my time was often spent navigating this negativity rather than working toward common goals or empowering those around me.
I’ve turned to communities like Reddit to understand if my experience is truly an anomaly. The feedback suggests that this type of atmosphere is, in fact, more common than I initially thought. This leads me to ponder: why do people willingly engage in such a landscape? Do individuals really wake up each morning excited to dedicate their lives to an environment where negativity and competition reign supreme?
It’s baffling to think that this might be regarded as the norm. While I recognize that my corporate experience is limited, the prevailing culture seems counterintuitive to productivity and collaboration. It begs the question: is there a rationale behind the success of companies that operate on these principles?
I’m seeking closure on this matter. During my time at this Fortune 500 firm, I repeatedly questioned whether this was
