Employee Who Left Corporate For Good Says You Have To Live A Lie To Survive — ‘Everyone Just Pretends It’s A Great Place To Work’
She claims that everyone in corporate is simply playing their role and nobody truly cares about authenticity.
Vlada Karpovich Corporate culture has become a subject of much debate over the years. The facade of a happy workplace has been brought down, and people are realizing that nobody truly cares about you in the office. Everyone is simply playing their role and pretending that it's a great place to work — at least, that’s what one woman claims.
In a recent video, TikToker Audra, a woman who decided to permanently leave the corporate workplace, discussed how to survive the corporate world by living a lie. She said that everyone must operate in “dishonest harmony” within these corporate spaces and that companies truly do not care about your well-being in any capacity.
A woman claims that the corporate world makes you live a lie to survive.
One year after she left corporate for good, Audra shared an important truth that was often not discussed when it comes to corporate structures. She asserted that companies want you to keep quiet about any problems that you may have and let go of your authenticity.
She went on to say, “It’s almost as if the oxygen that is pumping through these corporate offices is just there to fog your brain so you become more and more complacent and compliant.”
It's a concept most who have worked in a traditional corporate structure can relate to, but Audra shed light on it in a way many simply haven't.
She added, "It does not matter how you feel. It does not matter how bad the environment is. Everyone is just playing their role. Pretending like it's a great place to work ... and that everything is great."
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It's a disheartening notion, and many may wonder whether these toxic workplaces can be changed, but as Audra herself stated, “You cannot change an environment that you are not the owner of, and you cannot change an organization from the bottom up.”
Employees have serious concerns that are not being addressed by employers, which could cause problems in the future.
According to the Conference Board’s annual Job Satisfaction survey, overall job satisfaction went up in 2023 by a meager .4% from 2022, but that statistic might fall under the lie to get by theory because when asked about specific aspects of their jobs, the sentiment was much more grim.
CNBC reported that the survey’s subcategories, which included everything from commutes to workplace culture, work-life balance, benefits, and time-off policies showed that employees were unhappy even though they reported overall job satisfaction. The steepest dips were with health and bonus plans, promotion policies, and wages.
Basically, employees are putting on a happy face and saying everything is fine because they need their jobs even though they feel underpaid and under appreciated.
Allen Schweyer, a principal researcher at the Conference Board, shared that despite the overall job satisfaction numbers, employers need to pay attention to the dissatisfaction within subcategories because that's the true “warning sign ... that things might be headed in the opposite direction.”
You have to do what is best for you.
Navigating the corporate world can be hard, however, there are still bills to pay. You have to decide whether you will put up with the toxic environment or walk out for the sake of your mental health.
Luisa Zhao, a mentor for entrepreneurs who walked out on the corporate lifestyle herself, said that even when you work a "successful" corporate job it may not feel worth it. Some signs that you may want to walk out include feeling "burnt out working a dead-end job, stuck working crazy hours, and longing for flexibility and freedom."
You may just have to weigh the pros against the cons: is the stability of the corporate world worth the toll it takes on your well-being? Or are you ready to walk out and forge your own path?
Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.