The Corporate Conundrum: Why Do People Gravitate Toward Large Organizations?
As someone who has recently transitioned from a small business to a major Fortune 500 corporation, I find myself grappling with a perplexing question: Why do so many individuals seem drawn to large organizations and corporate jobs, when my experience has been anything but positive?
Having spent the first eight years of my career in a flat organization of fewer than 200 employees, I thrived in a setting where the hierarchy was minimal. With direct access to leadership and a clear focus on collaboration, the structure was simple: CEO → Manager → Junior Staff. This allowed for genuine mentorship and team support, where the primary goal was to create value and contribute meaningfully.
However, my recent stint at a corporate giant revealed a starkly different reality. The experience was rife with challenges that, according to many discussions online, appear to resonate with fellow former corporate employees. I encountered a workplace characterized by miscommunication among managers, inter-team sabotage, and a pervasive culture of toxicity. This atmosphere clashed with my personal values and ultimately led me to resign and pursue entrepreneurship.
For almost a decade, I believed that the work environment should foster performance, teamwork, and mutual support, where everyone’s contributions are recognized and valued. In stark contrast, the corporate landscape I stepped into was filled with backstabbing, gossip, and the intentional withholding of critical information. Time was rarely spent on driving profitability or nurturing team growth; instead, the focus seemed fixated on convoluted politics and negativity.
Reflecting on my experience, I’m left wondering: What attracts individuals to this type of corporate environment? Is it simply a matter of conforming to expectations, or do some truly find satisfaction in a system that often feels counterproductive?
It’s almost bewildering to think that many people would willingly invest 20 to 30 years of their lives in such an environment, accepting it as the norm. Despite my fresh perspective, it feels like I’ve stepped into an alternate reality where harmful practices are not only tolerated but accepted as part of the job. Could there be an underlying logic that explains why these behaviors persist in the corporate world, or are they simply counterproductive?
As I seek clarity, I realize that I spent much of my time in the corporate sphere questioning whether this was truly conventional. Yet, day after day, I watched colleagues accept the status quo, as if this was how business was meant to operate.
So, what am I missing? Why do some individuals
