Go Big or Go Small: Does Size Matter?

No, we’re not talking about private parts.

Just as how each culture or individual is different, all businesses aren’t created equally either. Choosing the right company to work at is, therefore, no easy task. Job seekers these days look for Easter eggs before applying to a position, like a company’s work culture, career growth, or whether they offer attractive employee perks. And since firms of different sizes may come with varying sets of benefits, depending on what the person prioritizes, one might consider company size a deciding factor when approaching opportunities.

There’s No Better or Worse

Are you a startup-kind-of-guy, or someone who aspires to work at the most prestigious firms? Or are you simply stuck in this dilemma? The distinctions between a small firm and a big one are accurate to some degree, but what conventional wisdom says about startups being less bureaucratic, or large companies having more opportunities to grow – may end up different in reality.

In the real world, tiny firms are just as likely to be dysfunctional if it’s controlled by a micromanaging psychopath; giant firms preach about positive career development but lay off half their employees when going through major reforms. It’s unpredictable, to say the least, therefore impossible to precisely claim that one’s better than the other.

Hire for Motivational and Culture-Fit

The fine line between a noxious workplace and a healthy one really just comes down to how you, as a leader, runs the business. Whether you’re in a big company with strict hierarchical structures, or a small startup with flexible arrangements, your duty to establish a trusting relationship with your employees remains unchanged. And when hiring someone, determining a candidate’s culture-fit through their motivations is utterly important. You may ask questions like,

• Tell us about your ideal working environment
• Tell us what you see yourself doing in this position
• Tell us a project or job you’re most proud of

Big or small, employers who step outside the box are able to make successful hires, because they’re aware that learning a person’s needs is the key to improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover. So to answer the question, size doesn’t really matter, but a company’s management style and culture does – in the end, that’s what makes or breaks a business.