Help adjusting to a corporate office environment?

Question

I work in marketing. I am by no means entry-level – in fact I have been working in my particular field for over 10 years. I and everyone in my department are well-paid professionals, and aren't "kids" by any means.

I started my current job about 3 months ago. It is with a rather large corporation, and I am having some trouble adjusting to the environment. I have always worked at small and mid-sized businesses where I have had tons of freedom to go have a cigarette whenever I feel like it, take 20 minutes extra for lunch, et cetera, with nobody really caring all that much.

Answer 1

there will undoubtedly be some jerk that comes along and tells you you're abusing freedoms or company time etc but don't pay attention to that

i found myself in this position years ago. the pay was right, the job was perfect, and it  was with an awesome company

but i started & it was a different story. we had to sign out for breaks..... we had 16 minutes (no lie) a day for potty breaks. time off was hard to come by. everyone was cold and dry towards each other. i actually got in trouble for emailing a coworker to ask him to lunch bcz email was for "business purposes only".

my duties were challenging and rewarding but the environment was horrific. you can talk to your boss and do all that, but in the end it wont do any good. those places have too many employees to make exceptions for one person or one department. it wont happen.

your only choice is to try like h**l to fit in, or deal with it long enough until you find a better job.

you are not wrong in wanting more freedoms. we are adults and this isnt primary school . and what matters is that you have an environment where you can do the best job. sounds like you don't have that.

some people love environments like that. some people don't. there is not an inbetween, and i don't think one person can deal with the other environment. sorry you are in the situation u are in, but this sounds like it requires less action from them, and more personal reflection on your end to decide if you want to stay there or not.

all you can do is find another job, and hope they come back with a retention plan when you turn in your notice. =(

Answer 2

Sure, why shouldn't you take as many cigarette breaks as you want, long lunches, and do whatever you want to do?  The rules don't apply to you.  You are special!

Answer 3

Dosent sound like all that hard work and dedicated time in achieving your career goals have panned out at that particular place.  

If I were you, (and I kinda was) I would push the limits.  In a happy and playful way.  Turn every criticism into a sarcastic joke..... Not like in a "you can't be serious" way, but in a  " I have no understanding of your policy " kind of way, You happily, are a total Moron when it comes to these nuance rules.  Make them think you Really don't understand.  Then they have to up the anti, and become Real Hay*holes.  They may change at that point.  I aided in changing the entire culture of a company with this strategy.   If they don't react in the proper way, you know you have to leave.   Earlier is better, a couple more months to find out.... Max.  Don't put up with it for a year and a half and then flip out and pop somebody, or start in with the gossip and backstabbing.  Learn, manipulate, take control or Leave.