I would
like you to read/watch and comment on/discuss the presentation - Corporate
Life-Hell on Earth
You will find it at
(http://onlineclasspjwstk-malgorzataswierk.blogspot.com/2013/03/corporate-life-hell-on-earth.html
) Comment on it here.
This is very interesting topic , specially for modern generation , specially in Poland where entrepreneurship is only raising.
ReplyDeleteI am actually thinking on making this topic (entrepreneurship vs working in corporation) my main theme in a week of moderating.
From one side we have a real boom in terms of large international companies opening offices in Poland, so polish employees could benefit from multilingual and multicultural experiences they are getting while working in such companies.
From other side, there is a "fashion" on startup that comes from the US and very quickly spread around the world. This topic is very close emotionally to polish people, as small business always was very strong in Poland.
As was mentioned in original post - there are a lots of advantages and disadvantages of both directions.
If we look on the market right now , it is probably easier to get a job in a large corporation than start a new company.
Why ?
because entrepreneurship culture if only starting to establish itself in Poland: education system has not yet adapted, legal system for sure is creating more problems than opportunities, investment market is tiny for the moment.
But all those constraints are temporary and those who overcome them could find themselves swimming in great blue ocean of business opportunities.
Who is really enjoying their time in the Polish market is big international corporations. Specially ones focused on technology. As we all know, in Poland there are a lot of technically skilled people, professionals that could do as good work as any other American or English employee, but cost is much less at the moment. And Polish employees of such corporations are satisfied with their position as well (for the moment): they have a good level of social security, market (or even a bit above) standard salary and opportunity for professional growth.
to summarize: I think nowadays most people should know basic advantages and disadvantages of working in large company in comparison of working in a smaller team or your own business. Absolutely positive side is that people are free to choose and decide their path, both options are available. One easier (corporate) , one (yet) more difficult - your own business.
discussion on/
Having the experience with working in a middle-size company, which has offices in several countries in Easy-Central Europe I can say that the most important advantage of such companies is that there is less officialdom than in a corporation. What is more, being able to speak directly to your upper management can result in faster movement.
ReplyDeleteI can only suppose that there are some pros and cons of working in big companies. Firstly, the big companies aren’t very flexible. Secondly, the relationships with your colleagues are usually only formal.
To sum up, you have to make yourself clear what you want. Never say never
Regards,
Lukasz
In my opinion everything depends on the corporation. Just after my final exams in high school I've started working in on of pharmaceutical companies, than changing to Contract Research Organizations - so it is more than 9 years in the corporation now and I feel really positive about all of the palaces.
ReplyDeleteI never had a problem with flexible working hours, of course sometimes I've to work late in the evening or get up early in the morning, but as a compensation no one asks me why do I finish at 2pm when I have doctors appointment. Apart from official meetings (e.g. with clients) we don't have a dress code. I think that relationships whit people depend on people, so blaming corporation for the relations with your colleagues is misuse.
From time to time I think ab running my own business but I always think ab it as something additional. I'm not sure if I would change safe corporate position to own business.
I think the author simplified the pros and cons too much. I know that's the way you write that kind of articles/posts, but according to what is written you can choose between stable, well-paid job with stupid boss and incompetent coworkers or create your own company and be unsure of the future. Of course we can find standard sentence: "The situation may vary in different branches of business." - but in my opinion, the whole post is a very harsh assessment of the situation.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently working in quite big company and my job requires cooperation with many departments. Sometime it's difficult and it takes a lot of planing, but if all the employees share the same goal and have similar vision - work can be pleasure and you can feel sense of achivement.
For the past 6 years I have been working in a public sector (clinical hospital) and I have never experienced a corporate life. That is why my knowledge on this subject is based mostly on articles I read and on opinions of my "corpo" friends. Therfore, I suspect that my opinion is a very subjective one. I think that working in corporations has more drawbacks than pros. The most important disadvantage is that while working in a corporation there is no place for innovation or self initiative. A worker only executes duties assigned with no chance to express himself. The next drawback which is often mentioned by my friends is that they feel being treated instrumental. They are frustrated and powerless with an impression that their professional life does not give enough satisfaction.The main reason holding them in a big company are their salaries and benefits such as trainings or employees' bonuses (free cinema tickets, lower fees to gym etc.). I am aware that earning decent money can be achieved mostly in big companies and for that reason I often think of changing my work place. But in the same time I am a person who likes to be independent and to create and put into practice own ideas. After considering all that I came to a conclusion that I couldn't be working in a corporation. Have I ever thought of running my own business? More than that - I had my own firm, but as it was said in a text above, I was not aware that managing own business requires so much time. And now, apart of having plenty of responsibilities during my work and studies, I have also a baby boy who needs lot of attention and time. Considering all of that my own business must wait for a better moment but I am absolutely convinced that it’s still worth a big effort.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Iza. I also started working right after I have finished high school. I have an experience in different kind of comapnies. I'm a big fan of corporations. For many reasons - some of them Iza already described. What I like more in big-sized companies:
ReplyDelete- I don't care about financial crisis. Every month my salary is paid exactly same day. It makes me feel very comfortable. It is important for someone who lives alone and depends only on himself. I believe this is also the advantage for people who have a family, especially children.
- It is impossible to know everybody when there is 3000 employees. But thanks to that every day I can meet new people, share my experience and skills with them, learn completely new things. Of course a lot of this relations are formal but in my opinion it's not the point to be friends with everybody. And still, if you'll meet someone in the corporation who you really like, I don't see any problem to build a relationship with this person.
- I learn how to cooperate with other people - with different characters, from different cultures or countries.
- I can travel all over the world. And I can refuse to go somewhere. I know people who work for small companies where when the boss says "you have to go", they really have to go. In corporation it is more flexible - in many cases someone else can go instead of me. You can say that it makes me replaceable. Yes, it does. But no one is irreplaceable. And no one should be - we should be specialists, good at work but with a right to have own life. If other specialist is going instead of me when I can't go, it's not a shame - it's a team work. Next time, when someone else can't go, I go.
I can't agree with Piotr, who says that in a corporation there is no place for innovation or self initiative. From my point of view it's completely opposite. It mostly depends of what kind of person you are. If you have an idea and you want to share it, then in a corporation you'll always find some other people, who will be interested to develop your idea with you. You can always find a way to do it.
I also believe that a lot depends of the boss. If your boss is the right person in right place, then company size doesn't matter. You can have a terrible boss even in a small company and then you can also be treated instrumental. Then small company can be Hell on Earth as well.
To be honest I can't imagine running my own business at all.
I'm working for corporation for past 6 years. It is my first "big job" in my life. I have learn a lot of things, but despite of all advantages of working for corporation there is a lot of things that make me at least angry.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing – inertness. When you want to do something that it is not in standard procedure and “God preserve” no one ever in company did something similar than you are in a dead point. Even if you would be able to convince someone from management level to be your voice on board meeting – getting all approvals can take weeks and in some cases – months. When so much time is spent on evaluating propositions market tends to change and a brilliant, innovative idea is after few months’ standard way of doing business.
Second thing is low progress rate in your career level if you are working for mature organization. Even if you are very good, there are some politics and procedures that can successfully slower down your progress.
Sometimes projects are rejected just because they can “upset” stakeholders in this year. No one is trying to look over horizon of board cadence. This short vision for very innovative projects is annoying for me.
I will try to find some more time and wrote some more defects of corporation when Daniel will be moderator :)
Corporation, the same as any other company is built on people and it depends on then how the work-life looks like. Rules and procedures must be set up, so every one knows what their tasks are, but in every corporation there is a department which is working on na innovations and updating procedures. If there is a need to change something such team should be contacted.
DeleteYes true Iza but not always such team exists and even if it exists it is not said that this team would do what you want.
DeleteSome things needs to be approved on so high level of authority that you can just drop that idea. Fighting with windmills is domain of Don Kichote not normal thinking people.
You are right - you could got a team which is not easy to lead but it is the part of the job and skills to make them want you in a teamleader place. Authority comes from great skills (technical) in what you do ability to lead them, not to order them what to do. A bit of intuition and being friendly helps a lot!
DeleteSlawek,, but if you drop your idea it doesn't mean that it is impossible to do it at all.Sometimes it just depens on how patient you are. It can irritate- I know but impossible is nothing ;)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have quite a different feeling about working in corporation, as I already mentioned in my introduction. I started my career in the corporation I must say it was a great step.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be mentioned that my firm is rather focused on new technologies and innovations. As a project manager, I have very flexible working hours - nobody cares when I arrive at office at 10 or 6 o'clock, the same with leaving - when I have to go out earlier, it is not a big problem. They only are interested in results and the job has be done in time. Salary, bonuses, health care are only addition - as in every corporation.
Furthermore, I actually work on the stuff I would like to - my activity involves projecting a systems, leading developers team, talking with customers. It gives me a lot of satisfaction, not to mention nobody blocked my career - I can go to training I like to.
On the other hand it is a big challenge to talk with customers with are often hard to convince to changes, especially with limited resources they and we have.
Keeping that in mind I worked (in parallel) for a small company which is creating Android's stuff for other quite big companies. Working in a small team and remote was a quite interesting experience, when you actually got feeling that every week you work for your money, because only succeed projects could gave you cash, people were focused to do their job and helped each other a lot. Of course I have the same in the corporation - but it is that mostly I am helping not being helped :)
I do not feel being limited or treated instrumental, as Piotr said - the management is actually interested in what I say and what I plan to do, but the dark side is that in corporation changes can be really slow when going live or even planning, as this can affect whole company..
To sum up, I really feel that I got very lucky in getting my job - most of my colleagues which work for corporation, do not have such a great feeling and they say most of the disadvantages mentioned in the article.
I really like your comment. I think we have similar experience.
DeleteI believe there is a lot of people unhappy in corporations and I think there are two most important reasons:
- something goes wrong in the company they work for and there is nobody who wants or tries to do something with that. They live day by day with an opinion "it has to be like that, what I can do, I just have to go and do my job. Why trying to do something more? It's just corporation.",
- they just don't fit to the corporation. Every person has a different character, it is obvious that some people should run own business or work in smaller company. The world is full of differences and that makes this world more interesting. Maybe these people should simply change their job.
That's the best idea. Just change your job. It's nothing hard. Of course if you just quit with absolutely no idea what you want to do next is just another problem, which in my opinion is the real threat. I work in corporation and I'm happy with that as it is. But I can see about 90% of people from another departments, who even cannot argue for a reasonable wages with CEO, grumbling all the time. Most of them want another job, but no one is looking for. I really detest such people, because employer didn't force anybody to work for him.
DeleteRecommended:
http://youtu.be/ZWsNzAHtOto
Accidentally now we're in point connected to first topic on our blog: complaining and "how my life is bad and I still do nothing with that" attitude :)
DeleteI didn't work for a corporation a day in my life, so hearing kgajowy side of the story is very interesting. I've heard a ton of negative comments about that kind of work from my friends and lately from media (like Gazeta Wyborcza), so seeing that someone is actually happy with that choice is quite refreshing. But I wouldn't change my job in small software house for a corporate one.
DeleteI envy the possibility of growth, going to trainings, having an actual career path to go through. But I don't feel like coming to work anywhere from 6 to 10 is a flexibility. For me, it's coming to work when I'm needed or when me and colleagues decide it's time to work close on a problem. I want to travel when I feel like it and not be afraid that it will cost me my job. And this thing with deadlines scares me - you say that everything is ok when you do your job on time. But what if you can't do it on time, when it's too much? I want to be able to go to my boss and say "It's too much, it can't be done in time." and not stay whole night at work, just to meet the deadline.
But it's only my opinion :)
What about feeling like a "small screw in a big system" ? with this I mean: whatever good individual work we do in a big company\corporation , its highly unlikely that we can influence business or clients on a bigger scale. Its linked to a problem of inertness, mentioned by Slawomir already.
ReplyDeletecorporations , they like elephants - big and powerful , but very slow on a turn.
True, but still it also depends on where do you work. I'm curently in IT department with I may say a very "big screw" because if I make a mistake company would need to pay a big penalty fee...
DeleteI feel power in my hands but from other perspective I'm less innovative. I think this is dualism of my current assignment.
I work for mid-size company in the business intelligence field. BI is the 90% of the corporation and I’m in the R&D department, which has flat hierarchy and projects have very loose constraints as they are strictly researches. That’s my 3rd job in corporate world and after two not-so-good employers I found one very decent company. I mean – there is nothing of standard “work or life” accusations in motion there. Chiefs are fair and demand reasonable things. It’s a good company. Nothing more to add.
ReplyDeleteBut of course there are some strange events in the corporate world, that I can laugh off. For instance my last talk with CEO:
CEO: So how’s project doing?
ME: Good. No delay. We are about to finish the planning stage.
< silence >
CEO: But isn’t it about time to finish last stage?
Me: No.
< silence >
CEO: But the project was 6 weeks long.
Me: 6 months. All was in reports and project data you accepted personally. Did you even read those?
< silence >
CEO: I see. So the plan has changed. I will be seeing potential clients in two weeks time. Take two people from web department and do some interface prototype. We don’t need real functionality. Presentation first. Functionality comes later.
....yeah. So that’s it in 50% of times. For me it’s pretty funny. For another one - pretty frustrating. Depends on people.
Your own business comes with many sacrifices at the beginning (in most cases) and you have no guarantee that it will be a success. If I had a really good idea for a company I think I would go for it. But as I learned through my whole life – anyone can have brilliant ideas after week of thought, but usually only handful know how to make real profit from it. Another thing is, that I want to do something I want to do. I cannot buy washed up time with any kind of earned money.
I had worked in few quite different work environment (in order): small company, big Telecom corporation, public sector, and now at one of the biggest International corporations.
ReplyDeleteClearly hard work pays off in every kind of environment, since in each of them I had been promoted and has developed my career farther (considering realities of each). Personally I know now that I will never go back to smaller workplace willingly. Only other option will be starting my own business .
Corporation is not place for everyone. Rules are clear and You just have to play by them, a shape them if necessary, to create better environment for everyone. Stagnant laborer won’t achieve much, soon will burn out or become bored. That was the problem with my work in public sector, there were almost no place for innovation, and no mechanism to remove poor workers, that had rooted themselves there. Contrast between hard working new comers and sawing their nails ladies (just visual example) were unacceptable, yet natural there. I had run of at the first possible occasion, to workplace where there is no place for imposters of the worker. If someone can’t manage given responsibilities in their work time without any visible explanation (like growth of the business) that’s the time to search for another work. That’s how it works and everyone should know that deciding to take an “easy” career in corp.
That would be all for now.