The Sad Truth About The Corporate World And What You Can Do About It

There may come a point in your life where you suddenly start asking yourself what you’re doing with your life. Why are you stuck in that same dead-end job, drinking the same coffee, secretly wishing you could punch that colleague that you’ve hated from day one? Unfortunately, there are many people that feel the same as you do (even your bosses!); here are the sad truths about the corporate world, and a few tips on what you can do about it if you’re in that position.

1. If you do your job really well, you will be given more to do. Yep, more work, regardless of whether the colleague next to you has been filing her nails for two hours. Do your job well and you will end up with even more to do. Probably without praise for all of your hard work. What can you do about it? Stick to what you’re employed for, be more thorough. Unless of course, you’re happy with the extra work.

2. Trying hard to impress your boss can actually turn out to be a bad thing. It could be flipped around to be taken as brown-nosing instead of trying to be helpful. If you don’t however, your boss will notice and moan about it. What should you do about it? Try and find a happy medium in this situation! Treat your boss with respect and do something if they ask you to, other than that, impress your boss through your work rather than being at their side all of the time.

3. You’re no longer passionate for your job, (if you ever were) and the only reason you’re still with the company is because it’s too much hassle to find yourself a new job, with money that’s better than what you’re already on. What can you do about the situation? Either suck it up or leave I’m afraid. Maybe try and find the love for your job again?

4. If you’re the youngest in the office, you will always be treated like the most inexperienced one, even if you’ve been there longer than other employees. You don’t have as much life experience, so you’re seen to be the least capable. How to fix this? Don’t let it bother you, keep doing your job professionally. Your boss will notice and appreciate the hard work you’re putting in. Don’t worry about what your colleagues think.

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1. Being the boss in the corporate world isn’t always fun and games either. Your employees will always have something to moan about, meaning you will have to delegate the workload differently and deal with problems that draw you away from what you’re there to do. How can you solve your problem? Go to a HR recruitment agency and hire someone to do this for you.

2. You will be blamed for something that’s not your fault. Unfortunately, people will go to extreme lengths to pin the blame on someone else to make themselves look good. How can you avoid having the blame put on you? Document everything you do so that if you’re questioned on your work, you can prove you were doing your job. If you are in the wrong, simply apologise and rectify the situation.

3. It’s likely that you will see other colleagues surpass you in your job, even if you don’t feel like they deserve it. How can you land yourself that promotion? Attend staff meetings and contribute to the subject at the table, show your peers that you’re worthy of the position. Stay after work to show your boss that you’re passionate about what you do.

4. You will spend too much valuable working time sending emails and doing small administrative tasks like filing paperwork, organising workflow, and sending letters. How can you make these tasks easier? Work out a system that will optimise the time that you have, and maybe even shed some minutes off the time you spend doing it. Install a bulk email program to your computer (ask your boss first) so that you only have to write the email, and then send to everyone with one swift click. Keep your desk and workspace organised at all times so that you’re not fumbling around trying to find things.

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1. Your peers may be oblivious to achievements. Unless you get it 100% perfect, you’re unlikely to get any praise for all of your hard work. What can you do about this? Unfortunately, getting the task in hand 100% perfect seems to be the only way to get yourself ahead. One option may be to show your peers that you’re aware of the problems but are working to iron them out.

2. People will ridicule you behind your back (and sometimes to your face) if you come into the office dressed in anything they’re not used to. How do you prevent this from happening? Stick to office attire that’s safe for all round wear. A shirt and tie with smart trousers will never go out of style.

3. You will always be made to feel like the company doesn’t need you, even if it’s not strictly true. Your bosses will make you feel like you’re replaceable, and it’s in fact you that needs them more than the other way around. The solution? Prove them wrong, show everyone that you’re worthy of the position you have, and that you are perfectly capable of doing it too. This may even land you a promotion!

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Don’t get me wrong, not all office environments are like this, but in the big corporate offices in cities, it’s likely that you will feel at least one of these problems at some point in your working years. Unfortunately, the solution is to either improve yourself and move forward in your job, or look for something new. Don’t let the corporate world ruin who you are. Play the game to win it!