Life in Corporate circle........

Making a career in the corporate world is what most freshers dream of. But the transition from a casual environment to a corporate is certainly not as easy as it looks like from the outside. One needs to be prepared to adjust to this corporate environment and embrace the culture.

Rishika, a final year student wanted to earn some quick money and hence joined a BPO. After a year of working there and completing her education alongside, she decided to make a shift to a corporate. And voila! Life seemed to take a drastic turn here! Life in a corporate turned out to be way different from what she had experienced earlier.
Working for a BPO usually is considered fun where you are allowed to wear casuals, work in shifts, use casual language and enjoy fun events at work. However, the atmosphere in a corporate is usually more serious in nature. From formal clothing to formal language and many other rules and regulations in place, entering a corporate life is not always smooth for every professional.
The corporate life So, what is life usually like for a new corporate entrant? What are the major differences between working for a big corporate and working for a comparatively smaller organisation? “There are a lot of expectations that are entrusted on new entrants. When one joins a large organisation, it’s like being a small fish in a large pond, you are one among the many and hence it becomes imperative that you are able to make some quick ‘wins’ to show your presence. While in smaller organisations, there could be larger responsibilities very early in your career and hence the landscape of learning can be large, any incremental change is noticed. The net outcome that is expected whether you join a large organisation or small organisation is your ability to quickly translate your learnings and observation into tangible results,” explains Ajith KN, senior director – human resources, Virtusa (India) Private Limited.

According to Priyasha Banerjee, associate vice president, Elixir, “Life in a corporate is very streamlined and there are a lot of P’s and Q’s to mind, which can be a little daunting if one has come from a small set-up environment, where work is more like a family affair. We hire a lot of candidates for international markets, where corporate culture is strictly adhered to and we do provide inputs to our candidates that allow them to adjust better to the culture.”
Embrace the changeHow should a working professional look at adjusting in the corporate culture? What are the main things one should keep in mind? Jacob Samuel, executive director, Gi Staffing Services, says “As a corporate professional, your turnout will set the stage - the uniform (read professional corporate attire) reflects discipline and a sense of purpose, which in turn inspires confidence in people who will see you as a strong professional. It will help create a positive self image and you can build it up further from there with your brilliant attitude and capabilities, of course, without which you won’t be there long.”

Ajith KN suggests, “Learn the rules both written and unwritten of the corporate work place; this is the key because it will be a direct definition of one’s work experience. While one joins a new place, the best bet is to make a best friend at work who will be your mentor, guide and more importantly ‘a friend’. As a new entrant, one might not have all the answers but one should show their commitment to learning, through actions prove their dependability, take initiatives to show that they are self starters. One should have the zeal to learn and execute things. The key is building a culture of execution, be ready to take risks and that is how one builds a personal uniqueness in the organisation.”
Welcoming you onboard;Even organisations these days have proper initiatives and practises in place to make sure this transition is smooth for any new entrant. So, how can companies help these new entrants embrace the cultural and environmental change? Monika Tripathi, vice president, Elixir, says “HR and older employees in general can help a great deal in helping the new incumbent settle in. The important thing to keep in mind is not be condescending while pointing out the important issues, as it can demoralize the new entrant for no fault of theirs. Many a times, the candidates from more casual set-ups like advertising, IT and BPOs are just not accustomed to the formal environment at corporate houses.”
According to Ajith KN, many organisations have a very smooth on boarding process for new entrants; they ensure that there is a lot of handholding done during the early times of settling. “The first 90 days experience of a new entrant or new employee into an organisation will decide whether the person stays or leaves. There are internal workshops that help new entrants transition from college life to corporate jungle. Mentors and coaches assigned to each new entrant during the first one year. Buddy programs, where buddies (typically friend @ work) are assigned to the new entrant. Effective orientation and information of the company is given to help them understand the business and work place ethics. Interaction with leadership teams and interactions with previous batches of new entrants and outward bound learning programs to build in team work and bonding amongst this group. Such experiential programs help individuals overcome key issues that they grapple with,” he explains.

So, if you feel butterflies in your stomach just by the thought of entering the corporate world, fret not! If you have the right attitude and willingness to learn, the transition will be as smooth as butter. And the cherry on the cake is the fact that organisations have come up with various initiatives for this very reason. So, go ahead and take the plunge! Live the life of a corporate!