1. Work/life Balance. This is something both companies and employees are striving for. Employees want a life and companies want to avoid costly burnout that affects productivity and quality. Fortune’s 2005 “100 Best Companies to Work For” showcased how culture is key. Using criteria that included benefit programs, health care and paid time off, the 100 best were broken out between 37 large companies; 34 mid-sized companies and 29 small companies demonstrating that good things can come in all sizes.
2. Resources. Resources and support are indicated as key reasons large organizations can attract accomplished professionals. True “means to an end” resources allow employees to focus on the core responsibilities of their job instead of spending time handling administrative or nonessential and unimportant tasks.
3. Bureaucracy. Culture will definitely affect this, but as a rule, larger companies have deeper layers and more complex issues that intensify the need for tighter rules and regulations and all the red tape that accompany them. As a result, the decision-making process and implementation ability can be slower and more cumbersome in a larger company then a smaller one.
4. Job Advancement. Start-up companies can offer the most rapid advancement opportunities but it is important to remember there is a risk factor tied into the thrill ride. If you are jazzed by speed, challenge, opportunity and change, these dynamics just might out-weigh the risk. I liken start-ups to riding in a sexy, sleek sports car. There is a lot of power, velocity, creativity and appeal, but if you hit a wall, you probably won’t make it out alive. On the flip side, medium size companies with flat organizations mean you’ll have to wait for someone to get fired or retired to get the next promotion. The larger the company, the longer it can take to move up through the ranks.
5. Company Growth. With companies of all sizes participating in the merge and acquire strategy, growth is no longer limited to sales projections and new product releases. Greater market share and revenue generation are often the result of acquisitions and partnerships. However, The Center for Simplified Strategic Planning Inc. has found that “as the economy has gained efficiency through technology and globalization, small companies have tended to lead the way into new niches and markets. As a result, job growth at all levels in smaller companies has consistently outpaced opportunities in large companies.” That said, based on research conducted by ExecuNet, search firms expect the greatest growth in 2005 to be in medium sized organizations.
6. Job Security. In a study done by Applied Research Corporation, it was found that small companies (not to be confused with start-ups) offer the most job security. They said “a small size organization that has strong management can more easily adapt to fluctuations in the market. In addition, smaller privately held firms have demonstrated greater tenacity, more patience in their strategic direction and a lower tendency to shut down profitable operations. The best bet is a rapidly growing smaller company in an emerging industry.”
7. Influence. Pick your poison – Startups represent the greatest opportunity for individuals who prefer to become involved from inception, allowing them to interject their skills and talents to shape the company’s direction and positioning in the marketplace. A small company has less tolerance for misallocation of resources so employees find more autonomy that comes with greater accountability and an emphasis on finding the best balance between planning, analysis and action. In larger companies the actual span of control can be smaller internally, but in well branded companies with high name recognition influence can come by way of association providing industry clout.
8. Risk. Beyond size, this is where you have to look at the business plan, strength and skills of management, competitive advantages, corporate culture, organizational goals, professional positioning, the mix of your skills and abilities with the organizations needs and expectations as well as your income potential.
9. Compensation. Here’s the news from industry expert Nan Andrews Amish: “Compensation at the top companies is phenomenal. Compensation at the mid-sized companies will be negotiated. Compensation at entrepreneurial companies will be deferred to after your success.”
10. Self-Assessment Where are you at in your career? Are you established or working on the track record? Would you thrive as a little fish in a big pond or a big fish in a little pond? Do you crave 24/7 global dominance? Do politics make you cringe? When it’s all said and done the most compelling reasons to choose one size company over another is the people you’ll work with, the values that are shared, the culture that is established, and the chemistry in your business relationships.
Jeannette Kraar, president of Performance Management International is a highly-acclaimed trainer, speaker, author and consultant who has been providing breakthrough development services to professionals and corporate human capital for over 25 years. Hundreds of PMI clients have succeeded even in the most turbulent times.
Jeannette is the author of BREAKTHROUGH, The Hate My Job, Need A Life, Can’t Get No Satisfaction SOLUTION. Learn more about the book and read an excerpt at
Email Jeannette at
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