From the outside, the corporate world may seem glamorous. No manual labor involved, great benefits, paid time off, and you can get up from your desk to grab coffee or go to the bathroom whenever you need, without having to tell anyone else. There’s a lot of freedom that can come along with a corporate job that people working in restaurants or retail might be envious of.
But it’s certainly not a perfect environment. Laura Scalco warns that the corporate world is often filled with pressure to work longer hours, regardless of how that impacts your work-life balance. This can also breed a toxic work environment that can take a significant toll on employee morale. When bosses purely care about profits, rather than people, the job can become incredibly stressful.
Many employees in the corporate world also experience challenges due to the hierarchical structure of their company or due to poor management. This can make it difficult for employees to express concerns if they’re never taken seriously or perhaps even used against them. And if workers don’t feel comfortable reaching out to upper management, issues can be brushed under the rug for a long time.
Meanwhile, job insecurity is something that nearly everyone in the corporate world has to worry about. No matter how many years you’ve been at a company, you are not immune to layoffs. In fact, nearly 55,000 workers in the US were laid off just last year, and this can happen overnight. A corporate job may seem cushy on paper, but it can take a turn in an instant.
Now, it’s not easy to determine exactly how many workers have corporate jobs. But according to Gallup, over 60 million workers in the United States have traditional office jobs. And data from the European Union found that 39% of workers employed in the EU carry out their work while sitting down.
Not all of these roles would be considered corporate, as corporate refers specifically to jobs within a corporate organization that work together to achieve the company’s goals. But pretty much any role that relies on sitting in Zoom meetings and sending messages on Teams all day will have similar pros and cons.
If you’re currently working in a different field but you’re interested in moving into the corporate world, Indeed notes that there are several things to keep in mind about the corporate world before diving in. First, these jobs can be extremely competitive. Landing one in the first place can be very difficult, but even after you’ve been hired, you’re not necessarily safe. These corporations often closely track employee performance and compare team members to one another. Unfortunately, if you fall closer to the bottom, you might be laid off.
Landing a corporate job can also be a lengthy process. It typically involves three to five rounds of interviews, a test task, and a whole lot of waiting around. And another factor to consider about corporate jobs is that they’re often only available in larger cities. If you’re determined to live in your quaint hometown for the rest of your life, you might not have opportunities to even apply for corporate roles.
If you’re already a cog in the corporate machine and you’re wondering how to continue doing your job without losing your sanity, PeopleHum has some advice. First, they recommend solving problems before you report them. This prevents the issue from becoming someone else’s problem, and it will likely impress your superiors. They’ll be relieved that, by the time they heard about the issue, it was already resolved.
