Corporate Culture Tales

I came across a very funny web site tonight created by author Max Barry called Tales of Corporate Oppression. It is a site filled with funny stories submitted by people experienced in the corporate world. Categories include: all staff, management, sales & marketing, human resources, I.T. (my favorite), and operations. The highly rated stories rise to the top of the page.

The stories remind me of a funny event that took place at my former workplace. As the company grew larger, new employee handbooks had to be created containing more rules & regulations. Some employees seemed to get away with more than others and a lot of new employees were not getting along with the people who had been working there longer.

We had to participate in a group session where we stood in a circle throwing a stuffed animal to each other and stating our thoughts and feelings on a particular subject. I also remember having to stand behind one another and squatting as if to sit on each others lap. I'm guessing it was supposed to build trust but it was just plain awkward. Needless to say, it didn't achieve much of anything except for all of us laughing afterwards at how rediculous and weird the whole experience was.

If you are experienced in the corporate world or about to step foot into it for the first time, you will enjoy reading the stories on the site.

Tags: coporate world, corporate culture, workplace, job