A Large Corporation Vs. A Small Business: Which Is Better to Work For?

Having worked both in small offices and in corporate environment, I can say that I personally prefer to be employed by a large corporation, mostly for one reason: I am not fond of multi-tasking. Large companies are usually good at making sure that every employee does their specific work. If you are a receptionist, you answer phones; if you are a secretary, you deal with correspondence and filing; if you are a manager, you manage, and if you are a driver, you drive. This gives each person the opportunity to concentrate on their work and do it well. Their professionalism grows; they feel that their work is well organized and efficient.

In small businesses, on the other hand, employees often have to jump around and wear all kinds of hats imaginable: answer phones, buy supplies, prepare reports, run various errands AND make sure their own work is done on time as well - somehow. The reasons for this are quite understandable: small businesses simply do not have enough resources to hire a specific person for each specific task. One may argue that wearing all kinds of hats is better for the employee: the work never gets repetitive and boring, plus they will learn more things and become more knowledgeable and valuable professionally. I guess it depends on the person. I know that I am just not cut out for that type of working environment. I have tried it and I did well, but every day was a stressful challenge. Being jerked around and constantly distracted from my work had not in any way improved my job skills. I do admit though that small businesses often have nicer, closer, family-like relationship inside of the team.

I could also mention additional job security and benefits that large corporations usually provide. Of course, you can get laid off and lose those benefits or some of your pay. Things like that happen left and right, and I have experienced them myself. My pay had been cut considerably at a large corporation when the company had hit some hard times. Small businesses, however, try to economize from the start, offering fewer benefits or hiring people only part-time to avoid giving benefits altogether. And you never know how long a small company will survive.

So there are risks and downsides in both choices. As to me, I would rather deal with possible evils of large corporations than everyday evils of being the Jack of all trades.