Small vs large company

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Discussion

Sycamore

Original Poster:

1,726 posts

117 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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I somehow seem to have deleted the original message - fk.



Edited by Sycamore on Tuesday 23 January 11:00

StevieBee

12,788 posts

254 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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Before running my own thing, I worked in both and there are pros and cons to both.

The largest company I worked at was Barnardo's. I worked in a small team of really great people (whom I'm still friendly with today). I was provided as much training as I needed and more in other areas if I wanted it. I had a nice pension scheme and never had to really worry about company performance only my own...and even that wasn't as oppressive as it might have been.

The downside was that regardless of whether I did a fabulous job or an average one, nothing really changed. Progression was only likely if my line manager left. Pay rises were structured to link with inflation and never reflected the inputs and efforts I deployed.

Operationally, things lumbered along. If I or our team came up with something, it could take months to get approval to implement by which time, all enthusiasm for it had evaporated. If I wanted to order a bike (courier) I had to seek approval and get a PO raised which could take so long I may as well have just posted it.

If I'm honest, towards the end of my time there I discovered that it's quite easy to 'hide' in a large company - just turn up, tread the mill and go home. I think my normally committed approach to work suffered as a result of this which was one of the reasons I decided to leave and go small.

It is very easy to become institutionalised in a large organisation and reach retirement age with a half decent pension but an empty feeling of not really having done much in the 40 years prior.

In small companies, I found them to be far more dynamic, exciting places to work. Everyone is close to the coal face and is easier for individual's efforts to be visible and recognised - and rewarded. If you do something that positively impacts on the company's profitability; you will be rewarded (and if you aren't then find another company).

There's little in the way of a safety net compared to larger organisations. If they loose a couple of key contracts, that's usually the end of the company but I found this edginess quite energising - and still do.

Personally, I would go small but each to there own.

HTH








toon10

6,140 posts

156 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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In all honesty, it probably depends on the company rather than the size. The largest organisation I worked for was Siemens. I really liked it although my circle of influence didn't really make it past my own department. I've always worked for decent sized companies (15000 employees currently) but I went to a small company before this place. It was a nightmare. As they were small with no "head office" influence, what little policies they had were archaic and the management free to act for themselves rather than their employees as long as the sales guys were generating income. It didn't help that my boss was a complete ****.

It wouldn't stop me working for a small company in the future, I'd just do some research and try and gauge the culture and setup before signing on the dotted line.

ozzuk

1,173 posts

126 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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I think there is a danger of getting bored in a small company. My employer has around 195k employers across the globe, but I look after the UK, a tiny IT UK team (4 of us,) and only 2-300 employees. Without the global aspect I'd be bored silly in no time, the corporate work adds a huge element. Might be fun for a few months getting them into shape, and depending on your level you'll likely have a lot more say, but ultimately could just be too small scale to maintain interest.

UpTheIron

3,992 posts

267 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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No idea what you do, but I'd guess at 50k employee's you are a specialist of some sort. In a company of 30 you might need to be more flexible, which could be good or bad - then again maybe they are a specialist in your field, in which case not so much of an issue.

I've worked in all sorts as a IT architect / designer / engineer / dogsbody... some thoughts based on that:

Huge banks... usually good on the CV, reasonably specialist in terms of being there to work on a particular technology stack that I'm an SME in but more often than not somebody else is setting the strategy based on corporate politics as much as any good reason - this is even the case where I currently am despite the fact the team I sit in should be doing it.

~10k-ish organisations... a sweet spot for me - small enough to be taking the lead from cradle to grave for projects and genuinely owning the lot.

~300-400ish privately held companies... generally enjoyable but requires a good team around you.

~20-30ish privately held companies... as above, but much more risk of it going badly wrong due to personality differences... but if the people there are good eggs, and if (for example) you are actually spending most of your time consulting/client facing then probably not such an issue.


Vyse

1,224 posts

123 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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I currently work in a small company and found the exact opposite. Lack of progression as the mangers aren't leaving, lack of reward and lower than industry average wage as we struggle to get monster contracts. Its difficult for small companies to negotiate to large ones, or maybe my company is just st at them.

The last sentence is true though, some people got made redundant in my department recently kind of came out of the blue.

StevieBee said:
In small companies, I found them to be far more dynamic, exciting places to work. Everyone is close to the coal face and is easier for individual's efforts to be visible and recognised - and rewarded. If you do something that positively impacts on the company's profitability; you will be rewarded (and if you aren't then find another company).

There's little in the way of a safety net compared to larger organisations.
HTH

Flooble

5,565 posts

99 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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I've done the range from 100,000 down to 3 (including me!).

Large company is going to have policies and procedures for everything. You may be able to work around them, you may not. In the case where it's "not" then you have to be ready to accept that it may take 3 months and four levels of approvals to get a new starter their laptop. There's also almost certainly plenty of politics to deal with as the larger the firm the more time people have to focus internally and play games with each other rather than looking externally at keeping the company afloat.

Of course that also means that in theory there's lots more job security in the large firm - the larger they are the more insulated from the wider economy. Although these days entire departments might be cut because of a decision made on another continent. Plus in the right role you will have the opportunity to become a serious expert as you will have the space and time to focus.

Probably better benefits too - not just outright (salary, pension, sick leave, holiday, environment) but also the fact that a large enough firm, properly run, should have sufficient slack to cover for you when you are sick or on holiday.

Tiny firm on the other hand - no red tape, seat of the pants, get stuff done approach. Need a new laptop? Order one from wherever you like. Absolutely no job security (lose a contract, time to lay people off) and you have to be ready to do everything and not rely on a different department. Benefits could be better (pay, pension) but are almost certainly going to be worse unless you are prepared to argue it out with the boss (at the risk of being told to walk - small company, no HR department, not much to restrain the decision making). Plus if you are on holiday but there's just three of you, chances are you'll still be "on call" one way or another. And the dirty secret of the small firm is that its customers are probably large firms ... so you are still dealing with corporate policies and politics!

Sweet spot for me was a 100-person place. Small enough to know the MD personally and get things done with a minimum of fuss, but large enough to have some insulation from the immediate effects of a down turn and to also have sufficient reserves to do some internal investment projects. Plus just about big enough for the MD to not have ultimate power over everyone - an FD and a HR Director keeping an eye on things, plus a small board.


CAPP0

19,530 posts

202 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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My career probably ranges in companies from 50 to 500,000 (yes really).

I would never, ever go back to a corporation that size again. I'd rather drive an Uber. You just get massive bureaucracy, you get massive duplication which then leads to other teams either trying to do what you are, then fighting, or pulling rank and cherry-picking the good stuff. Hideous.

On balance I think the best size is probably approx in the 150-250 range. Small enough to know everyone and to know where everyone and everything goes, big enough to have someone to do everything needed.

rambo19

2,737 posts

136 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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The problem with big companies is you are just an employee number.

Olivera

7,065 posts

238 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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Unless you are a shareholder, or have employee share options, I'd go for the larger company.

wormus

14,496 posts

202 months

Saturday 6th January 2018
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We have 100,000 employees and the company I used to work for until recently had 30,000. The larger company gives me more opportunity and responsibility. Work your way up.

ffc

606 posts

158 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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Small company every time for me based on experience at an early 80's Post Office (250,000) down to a 3 man consultancy.

The big company bureaucracy kills me especially as a customer facing IT having to deal with an Internal IT department who want to control what you do. the "tail wagging the dog" issue in big companies really annoys me. Smaller companies carry greater risk but allow you to make a difference IME.

bitchstewie

50,764 posts

209 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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I think it depends on your role too.

For example I work in IT so whilst I've never worked in a truly large company, in IT there are few sideways routes within the organisation unless you fancy a total career change vs. if you're a project manager where your skills may mean you'd fit in many roles in the same company.

Hope that makes sense.

Flooble

5,565 posts

99 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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Just realised one other point is that to follow the above post, as well as your role, your personality is going to determine what you prefer.

Someone who likes to get their hands dirty, "do stuff" and have variety is almost certainly going to prefer a small company.

Someone who wants to do a straight 9-5, same job day in day out may well prefer the certainty large company.

Someone who is mostly driven by obtaining promotions and having more and more people "under them" will have no choice but to go for a large company.

fbwinston

44 posts

192 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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Remainer = big company
Brexitier = small company


  • based on my unscientific straw poll.

PorkInsider

5,877 posts

140 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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In my first 20 years of work I didn’t work for any company smaller than 10,000 employees.

5 years ago I joined a small consultancy and was the 5th employee (2 founders plus 3 employees when I started) although there are now 20 of us in total.

I would not go back to big corporates now unless I was desperate.

I still work day-to-day with the biggest companies in the world in my current role but have none of the politics, bureaucracy, etc. We don’t even a set number of holidays as it would mean someone keeping track of them so we just take what we want as long as we can fit them in.

You do need to be prepared to pick up random tasks in small companies as there will often be no one whose role it is to do a particular thing, but that’s a good thing in my opinion.

Just do your best to make sure you will fit in as there’s nowhere to hide, or move sideways to, in a small outfit.

KrissKross

2,182 posts

100 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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fbwinston said:
Remainer = big company
Brexitier = small company


  • based on my unscientific straw poll.
Spot on.

the-photographer

3,479 posts

175 months

Sunday 7th January 2018
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- you'll need to be compatible with the small company
- however, you might enjoy greater ownership and impact
- at the downside of greater financial instability

wiggy001

6,542 posts

270 months

Monday 8th January 2018
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PorkInsider said:
In my first 20 years of work I didn’t work for any company smaller than 10,000 employees.

5 years ago I joined a small consultancy and was the 5th employee (2 founders plus 3 employees when I started) although there are now 20 of us in total.

I would not go back to big corporates now unless I was desperate.

I still work day-to-day with the biggest companies in the world in my current role but have none of the politics, bureaucracy, etc. We don’t even a set number of holidays as it would mean someone keeping track of them so we just take what we want as long as we can fit them in.

You do need to be prepared to pick up random tasks in small companies as there will often be no one whose role it is to do a particular thing, but that’s a good thing in my opinion.

Just do your best to make sure you will fit in as there’s nowhere to hide, or move sideways to, in a small outfit.
This was me. Did 6 years then 5 years at fair sized companies then joined a small consultancy (15 employees at the time, now around 45ish). After 9 years I've recently handed in my notice and will be returning to the big corp world.

The pros of the small company (getting involved in everything, learning a lot, no politics etc) have been eroded over time by having to accept no payrises, no chance of promotion and being left to get on with things (good) with no support (not good) only criticism if things don't go right (very bad).

I've been lucky to have spent most of the past 5 years working for a good client - if I had been based in our office I would have walked a long time ago.

I now can't wait to get back to commuting into London and being part of a team that gets recognised and rewarded for good work.


snotrag

14,446 posts

210 months

Monday 8th January 2018
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I've done a variety, from about 15-20 employees up to about 6000 (ok not huge, but massively more than 20).

For the key thing is not the entire company - but your team/immediate department. I have found that working in a relatively small team or function, that exists as a component of a larger company, gives a good balance.