Disillusioned with corporate world

[Semlavro]

I work in a corporate setting and I've been getting more and more disillusioned with it. The politics, the wanky jargon people use, the pointless meetings, the crap leadership.

I'm only still here because of the salary and flexibility/ remote work. Been looking elsewhere and applying for over 6 months but no luck at all.

I hate feeling so bitter and ungrateful but the soul has been sucked out of the company since private equity got involved. There were also redundancies last year and ive not felt secure since.

I long for a career change/ lottery win/ unexpected inheritance - anything to help me escape but not sure it's on cards anytime soon.

AIBU to feel like this about work? Does anyone else in corporate world think it's mostly bollocks?

Could you leave and do something completely different? Have you looked into this? I am tied to my job for visa reasons, as I mention upthread, and I look at anyone who doesn’t have that concern and think they could easily (relatively!) leave the job they hate and change career, particularly if their kids are grown up. Downsize, move to a cheaper part of the country, reduce outgoings, do anything to make it work. Life is too short to feel how some of us on this thread feel. Best of luck.

Thank you @Crushed23 , I’m a sole parent and unfortunately I can’t change my job at this time. The company regularly restructures though and there’s talk of redundancies happening next year so I just have to wait and see. The introduction of AI has also happened and I can see that having a massive impact in the next 5/10 years.

The people I know who have changed careers have inherited wealth, have never been divorced and/or have family who can financially support them. The rest of us just get on with it as best as we can. I hope you eventually find a job you prefer. I agree that life’s too short to feel this way.

I am completely pidgeon-holed in my role

I think this is a tricky place to be- could you work for a different place in same role?

I stopped climbing the ladder in my work a few years back, as picked up a serious health issue (non work related!) but turned out a blessing as I have since made 2 side ways moves.

First one was a bit of a disaster, but second has been good - more opportunities and enjoying learning. Its my line of work but a completely different sector and am defo broadening my skills.

It's utter bullshit

Where I work there at FOUR middle managers for a grand total of 15 people. Ridiculous

I am also sick of all the fake mental health/LGBTQ/menstruation/ enviro/mat/pat leave/wellbeing shit as well. They don't really care about any of it at all.

I have never seen so much inefficiency and time wasteing either.

Everyone knows that they are riding the wave and just pretending in order to earn money.

It's all LIES!!

🤣 Sorry, cathartic

I left a corporate career and moved into the not for profit sector. Was good for a while, worked with some great people. Then all the wanky corporate types started infiltrating the charity sector with their bloody endless project planning meetings and bullshit.

Absolutely infuriating working for a place that is asking for public donations and wasting them on salaries for people who do nothing.

I’m at a tiny not for profit now and hoping it will stay small and personal until I’m ready to retire.

I've never worked in corporate and have never regretted.

There is no way I could put up with pointless and endless meetings, and silly directives from people above me who haven't a clue. It would drive me batty. I see my friends going through this and it just looks so utterly nonsensical. I think my brain is too simple and practical to begin to tolerate it.

Small businesses (where I have always worked) have their issues no doubt, but I think on balance they suit me better.

Work is bs ever.ywhere tbh.

Worked in corporate finance for 20 years and am so burnt out I'm signed off sick which I've never done before in my life. I cannot see a way back into that world so will have to resign. The thought of logging back on makes my palms sweat with anxiety. Currently selling my house and downsizing to the middle of nowhere to try and get some peace. But I'm an absolute wreck :(

So sorry to hear that, hope you can get away from it all. I'm also starting to think about downsizing to free up some funds and lower monthly costs so there is less financial pressure.

I was only saying to DH yesterday how crazy it is that our generation (early 40s) was sold such a false dream about getting "an office job".

I've been doing this for 20 years now, and the theme (despite promotions, change, new projects, new employers) has been boredom.

I'm so bored, I feel like my body is shutting down. The only way I get through it is - thank god, doing a lot of work from home - and exercising both before and after work on those days.

Thankfully my manager is a really normal guy and hates wanky, woolly nonsense, so there's very little corporate speak and box ticking. I'm ex big 4 and the nonsense there (bring your whole self to work, trans allies and so on) was making me mentally ill.

Just remember it's a means to an end. Not giving a shit is very freeing.

Here's a tip ( and I don't mean this sarcastically). Try and thoroughly imagine being in another profession- a care worker dealing with incontinence, dementia, night shifts, no support, all for £12ph. A prison officer, social worker, police, ambulance crew, A&E medics, MH medics threatened regularly by violent, mentally ill, drugged or drunk clients, criminals and lowlifes, all on modest salaries that can barely cover the CoL. Uni lecturers working at the highest level, tutoring post grad courses, on zero hours contracts, paid only for a fraction of the work they actually do. Teachers handling disruptive, emotionally volatile pupils all day, marking work all night, expected to create and complete volumes of unnecessary paperwork on top of their actual job to show tickbox evidence of every lesson plan, again on very modest salaries. That's before you even begin to consider the reams of people locked into modern slavery and exploitative work conditions.

The pointless, crass management speak and waste of time meetings are your workplace nightmares. All jobs have them. At least you are paid well and safe.

Exactly. All of my colleagues have the same relaxed attitude as me. We do a good job, but we are basically just ‘actors’ while at work.
Endless meetings, changing timelines, reorg every 4 years, new Ways of Working every few years, managing the outsourcing partners. It’s never ending bollocks.
But the pay and conditions are great. The environment is great. Things could be much, much worse.
It’s just a job. Find something outside work if you want fulfillment. And remember, they would dump you the first moment could.

Same here, my friends in those fields hate their jobs for different reasons too even though they started off with a real passion for them though so it puts me off. For me it all changed when I realised what I do only actually makes a difference to another made up and pointless process really- it doesnt add value to society it just exists because someone at some point decided it should.

Yes this is good way to think of it. I feel like oscar-wining actress at moment but sick of pretending to care

I got to this stage in my late 30s. I'd loved my job and then just suddenly realised that if I stayed another year it would be just the same old thing over and over. I'd had enough and once I got to that point I could not stop thinking that way.

The ever changing, ever increasing bullshit, the arseholes that thrive in the corporate world and the constant pressure all did for me.

I made a complete change. Downsized dramatically, completely reviewed my financial situation and resigned. I started two small businesses both in fields that had been my lifelong passions and hobbies. The enormous drop in income was more than compensated for by contentment, being my own boss and enjoying my days.

Good God, the difference in my life is incredible. In a corporate world you just meet other corporate people, all on the treadmill, either ambitious or just bearing up. There's a whole other world out there full of opportunities, interesting people and adventures to be had.

Work, the corporate world and consumerism are a trap to keep you contributing to economic growth and the wealth of billionaires.

I eventually retired in my late 40s although I still do one of my businesses but on a very small scale (not all day, not all week, not all year). The fact I've learned to exist outside the corporate world and spend very little has given me freedom I'd never dreamed of.

I've swapped webinars for drinks with clients in the pub and power breakfasts for egg on toast in the garden while my hens cluck under the table.

Life is just too precious to bugger on unhappily.

It’s not post covid anything, it is post 40, less willing to accept bullshit.

I’m nit in the “corporate” world, I work for a small company, the bullshit is just the same.

DH had this on his 30s, 40 years ago. Couldn't stand going in on a Monday. Good job, good prospects but hated it. I was getting ready to return to work, but in the couple of years I had been off work with the DCs, tech had come in, and I worried I would have not known what I was doing. So, we sold up in Kent, and moved to my home town in the NW. Used the equity difference to set up a business, a shop, although today it would be something different. Kept us going for 30 years till retirement. We probably learnt less than staying, but not once in the 30 years did we dread going in. If I needed to finish early to go to the schools, or help my parents, I just did it, no bosses to ask, no false targets to chase, no regrets at all. So, is there any business you could set up with your skill set? DH had worked in retail and supply, and I had worked fir a bank so between us we covered most bases for a retail business. We made mistakes but that was part of building a business that for the most part was a fun experience.

Working from home, even for part of the week, makes a difference I think. You can disengage from some of it when not in person. I agree about being firm about the hours you work and it is respected, perhaps because I don't keep people waiting too often for things.

I’m not corporate, I’m teaching. I also felt like this during my 40’s. So I’m not sure it’s the sector. I think it’s the relentlessness of having years behind you, but still years to go. Plus, juggling children. Fwiw, I’m now early 50s. My children are grown and I feel better again. I’m not feeling guilty about staying late if I want. I’m not waiting for calls from nursery or school about a sick child. I just think it’s really hard when you have children, and you feel a bit older.

This sounds wonderful, eould love to do something similar. Dh is an accountant I'm in marketing so between us we could probably pul it off but no idea where to start

Unfortunately there are too many people trapped in these jobs as they dont have the skills or experience to do something more meaningful (and are probably paid too much for the value they actually add. Its a bit of a failure in economic terms that so many people do non-jobs that add very little to society

Frankly? it has always been like this a bit, but is deffo getting worse.

Basically? you need to compartmentalise your life, not care so much, and hang on until you finally get your pension.

I wonder why so many people feel like this, had no idea it was so common

I mean, I have felt this way about work my entire life. I thought most people did…