Company Man

[944fan]

The company I work for (small, 25 peeps) was bought out by a fooking enormous corporate. My job largely stayed the same but I was mingled in to the corporate hierarchy.

I am finding more and more that I just don't fit in this environment. When we were small it was badly run and hard work but we all had a common goal, making money and doing a good job. Now it seems that corporate bullst, box ticking and wky fking internal projects are far more important than profit.

I had to sit through a 5 hour meeting discussing some cocking project about "our brand", afterwards I was told by someone that I looked very bored during the meeting and was there a problem. I probably should have said nothing, but I pointed out that this project was a colossal waste of everyone's time and the companies money and there were far more productive things we should be doing.

I wouldn't say I am a maverick but I like to get things done and don't have time for BS and time wasting. I just can't seem to toe the line and fit in with their company man persona. They have corporate networking events which I repeatedly make excuses for but am running out.

Already looking for something else, problem is they paid me off last year to stay on when the merger happened and I have priced myself out of the local market.

Anyone else suffer in these environments? It is not the first corporate I have worked for.

[CaptainSlow]

Yeah, I'm in the same situation. I've priced myself out of the market too so moving is hard. I just look forward to pay day.

[MikeGoodwin]

Obviously you're unhappy working in such an environment so move on. You say you priced yourself out, so weigh up whether you want to hate your life or would take a pay cut. Seems a simple decision. Put up or shut up.

Can you not ignore the politics side of things and just enjoy the local environment and workmates?

[944fan]

Work mates are mostly wkers :-) Not really. That was my original plan was to ignore the crap get on with my day to day work and enjoy the pay. More and more I am getting dragged into it against my will.

Its not so bad that I want out immediately so willing to hold on for a bit in case jobs with similar salaries come up, if it gets worse or nothing happens then yeah I will think about a small cut in pay.

[MikeGoodwin]

Fair enough, I work for what was once a small firm that grew rapidly and made so much money it was bought out by a corporate giant. Luckily Id say the feel of the place among workmates is that of the old place although I wasnt around to see the transition when it happened. They say its changed but we still have a good laugh and we are mostly degenerates. Im leaving anyway in 3 weeks as being a corporate giant we are quite limited in what we are allowed to do. Generally the corporate BS that comes through I ignore and the only thing that irritates me is the annual training modules.

[Sheepshanks]

944fan said:

The company I work for (small, 25 peeps) was bought out by a fooking enormous corporate. My job largely stayed the same but I was mingled in to the corporate hierarchy.

That happened to the firm I used to work for. It was bizarre - the base level of business just continued on its own, but no-one did any business development work for about 5 yrs. We'd go to head-office meetings and training that was just nonsense. I left when I realised that my entire job was managing my email inbox.

[Tony Starks]

Have you tried talking to anyone much higher up? Maybe try arranging a meeting with your superior and his boss to discuss your concerns. The biggest problem I've noticed is no one ever wants to say anything to sort out the problem. So they'll just moan about it to everyone else.

I used to work at a large distribution Centre with about 1500 staff and the amount of guys who were suicidal about the job was crazy, yet ask them why they dont leave and you get all the answers under the sun.

[944fan]

Tony Starks said:

Have you tried talking to anyone much higher up? Maybe try arranging a meeting with your superior and his boss to discuss your concerns. The biggest problem I've noticed is no one ever wants to say anything to sort out the problem. So they'll just moan about it to everyone else.

The company is huge but our division is run like its own entity. I report to a board member, and above him is the CEO. Problem is that those two are a big part of the problem.

The CEO has a vision, it sounds utter bks. We were experts in this arena for years and he has no experience of the market and his ideas wont work. Going to be pretty hard to tell him that.

As I say the problem is a cultural thing rather than there being a specific tangible problem that cab be fixed. My boss is a massive corporate lackey as well and so criticising the blessed corporation will get my card marked pretty quick

[xjay1337]

When companies get taken over by larger firms it's not fun at all. Especially if the work ethic is different.
I would just leave even if it means taking a small paycut.

[anonymous-user]

Seen it many times and what the big corporate loves about the smaller company is often killed off when incorporated into the wider corporate beast.
I would look for something else, as if you keep sticking your head above the parapet it will get shot off, of learn to feign interest in corporate shiite.

[randlemarcus]

944fan said:

Tony Starks said:

Have you tried talking to anyone much higher up? Maybe try arranging a meeting with your superior and his boss to discuss your concerns. The biggest problem I've noticed is no one ever wants to say anything to sort out the problem. So they'll just moan about it to everyone else.

The company is huge but our division is run like its own entity. I report to a board member, and above him is the CEO. Problem is that those two are a big part of the problem.

The CEO has a vision, it sounds utter bks. We were experts in this arena for years and he has no experience of the market and his ideas wont work. Going to be pretty hard to tell him that.

As I say the problem is a cultural thing rather than there being a specific tangible problem that cab be fixed. My boss is a massive corporate lackey as well and so criticising the blessed corporation will get my card marked pretty quick

To hell with it then. Get onto the CEO, set up a meeting, and tell him. He'll either promote you based on your clear sight, and courage, or he'll make the job hunting much more fun.

[C0ffin D0dger]

Do you work where I work? All sounds too familiar though we were subject to two take overs, small company to mid sized US company and then huge multinational. Got worse at each stage and I'm still here If it weren't for the money....

[944fan]

Vandenberg said:

Seen it many times and what the big corporate loves about the smaller company is often killed off when incorporated into the wider corporate beast.
I would look for something else, as if you keep sticking your head above the parapet it will get shot off, of learn to feign interest in corporate shiite.

This is it. They keep saying, we bought your company because it was profitable, yeah and now you are slowly un doing everything we did to make it profitable you tts, just so you can tick a box.

I am activley looking, had a couple of informal chats with other companies but the pay is an issue. One seemed really keen but even when they came back with a second offer it was below what I am on here.

Will keep going for a bit. I am due a £5K bonus in Nov and a big part of me wants to wait to get that and then go, just so I can get the money and as a final fk you. Also if I can walk just after getting £5K then taking a small pay cut will be less of an issue.

Right game face on for today. Lets sing the company theme tune

[xjay1337]

944fan said:

This is it. They keep saying, we bought your company because it was profitable, yeah and now you are slowly un doing everything we did to make it profitable you tts, just so you can tick a box.

I am activley looking, had a couple of informal chats with other companies but the pay is an issue. One seemed really keen but even when they came back with a second offer it was below what I am on here.

Will keep going for a bit. I am due a £5K bonus in Nov and a big part of me wants to wait to get that and then go, just so I can get the money and as a final fk you. Also if I can walk just after getting £5K then taking a small pay cut will be less of an issue.

Right game face on for today. Lets sing the company theme tune

If you have earnt the bonus then get it and then leave of course!

If it helps I too was looking for work and was offered less than my existing salary.
I held out and didn't take it in the end however I then got offered a suitable salary a month later at another company. So hold out mate the right one will come out.

[Kwackersaki]

You sound exactly like me and the position I was in 18months ago.

Good privately owned company taken over by A holes who thought they knew the business. They didn't and still don't.

I took redundancy and luckily went to a better job although I'm having to move but it's not really a problem. Could you look elsewhere?

[944fan]

Kwackersaki said:

You sound exactly like me and the position I was in 18months ago.

Good privately owned company taken over by A holes who thought they knew the business. They didn't and still don't.

I took redundancy and luckily went to a better job although I'm having to move but it's not really a problem. Could you look elsewhere?

Yes sounds familiar. I am actively looking.

A job has come up very close to home that is actually paying more than my current role. Most similar roles were paying less so obviously interested in this role

[Kwackersaki]

Well good luck in your search.

It's not a nice position to be in when your happy doing what your doing and then a load of insincere bullstters with fixed grins turn up and tell you nothing will change!!! As you can tell I'm not bitter!

[944fan]

Nothing coming up on the job hunt. I was teased by a recruiter about a job paying more but I think he wasn't really working with the company and was trying to find CVs to put in front of the manager to get in the door. I have had people try that with me before. I know the job existed as it was on the companies website.

I spoke to a recruiter I trust. He gave me an honest appraisal of the local market. It is basically sit tight and wait, the big players in my area don't pay the big bucks but occasionally jobs with some of the small tech houses come up and they tend to pay higher. Or take a pay cut or take a commute to earn the same. Having just got rid of a 2 hour commute I don't want to go back to that.

I was trying ti be quite Zen about the place and relax. Trouble is I am bored, bored out of my skin. We have had no new customers in 6 months. Just some drip feed work from existing customers.

Last year I nearly left because we had so much work and no resource, now it is the other way round.