Working for a Company with a 'Cult Mentality'

[BristolCavendish]

Curious if anyone has experienced this kind of thing. When I was in college (late 1970s), I worked during the summers at HP prior to its branching off into Agilent (test equipment) and information systems (computers). At the time, there was a longstanding employee mentality (i.e. the HP Way) which many old-timers bought into. It was essentially a mind set that the company provided an idyllic work environment and employees would always be taken care of in the process. Of course that all changed when Carly Fiorina took over the helm years later.

During the 1980s when 'Japan Inc.' was in full stride, this concept also seemed to prevail with company guarantees of 'lifetime employment' and prosperity for all of its employees. Studies of this successful business model also pointed out that worker conformity was paramount and 'the nail that stuck out would be pounded in.' Eventually these long-term assurances changed as production gradually moved to 3rd World/developing countries.

I had a conversation this weekend with two individuals who work for Google and Apple respectively. They mentioned that these two companies also have a cult mentality (sans the guarantee of lifetime employment). To them, it was almost 'Borg-like' from the standpoint of prescribed assimilation and blind devotion to corporate vision. Being somewhat independent thinkers and well-educated, they are now planning to leave these particular companies.

On a smaller scale, some of the 'multi-tiered' marketing operations also seem to operate on these premises (i.e. Amway, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Shaklee etc.). While it works for some, a clone-like mentality seems to offer the best assurances of success in these ventures.

Curious if anyone has been successfully absorbed into this kind of framework. After a couple of summers on the HP assembly line, I eventually opted for summer work as a fire observer/lookout tower as this seasonal endeavor was more closely related to my primary focus/major in college.

While I'll probably never be as wealthy (or own as many Rolexes) as some of the folks here, I just couldn't buy into the mindset of being a long-term corporate sycophant. Then again, the concept has proven successful for countless individuals and the more power to them.