The Corporate Conundrum: Why Are People Attracted to Big Organizations?
As someone who has recently transitioned from a small, tight-knit company to a Fortune 500 giant, I find myself grappling with a perplexing question: Why are so many individuals drawn to large corporate environments, especially when my first-hand experience was less than favorable?
In my early career, I spent nearly a decade at a small organization of around 200 employees. The structure was simple and straightforward, with just three levels: the CEO, the manager, and junior staff. This flat hierarchy fostered open communication and collaboration, with senior team members still directly involved in mentoring and overseeing junior staff. It was a culture that encouraged growth, support, and teamwork—values I cherished deeply.
However, my recent venture into a large corporate setting was disheartening. What I encountered was a stark contrast to my previous experience. A toxic work culture, rife with office politics, manipulation, and negativity, plagued my days. Managers seemed to play a version of the “telephone game,” exacerbating misunderstandings, while colleagues displayed behavior ranging from passive-aggressiveness to outright sabotage. It was an environment where shame and gossip took precedence over collaboration and progress, ultimately leading me to resign and pursue entrepreneurship instead.
My ten years in the workforce had been guided by the belief that professional life revolves around dedication, performance, and mutual support. I envisioned a workplace where individuals come together to drive the company’s success and lift each other up. But in the corporate world, I found this ideology largely absent. Instead, I witnessed relentless scheming aimed at undermining others, gossip dominating conversations, and valuable time squandered on negativity rather than on earning revenue or fostering improvement.
This begs the question: What draws people to corporate roles that appear, to me, to be fraught with such dysfunction? Are there really individuals who wake up each day, eager to engage in these types of behaviors for decades on end? Is this simply the norm in large organizations, and if so, why?
It felt as if I had stumbled into an alternate reality. Perhaps I am indeed inexperienced in the ways of corporate life, but it’s difficult to comprehend how this could be considered a productive or sustainable approach. What benefits could possibly arise from such toxic practices that make them the default operating procedure in big organizations?
I seek understanding. It seems unlikely that this culture of negativity is the only way to succeed in a corporate environment. If toxicity isn’t the ideal path
