Are Corporations Similar To A Cult?

I just happen to come across this article.

quote:

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I Left My Corporate Job--and These 8 Things Became Clear

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LINK

Anyway, so does anyone think working in a corporate environment is sort of like being in a cult?

I do think some are more than others. Looking back at the few corporations I worked for, each one has it's own environment (this isn't why I think corporations are similar to cults) and when you start working for one, you have to adjust to the new environment.

One place for example, I wouldn't consider it "cult-like". It was a well ran company, there wasn't a certain way of doing things. It was about getting the job done and providing the most efficient tools (software, etc) so that people could maximize performance.

Then there was another place. They had a certain way of doing things and a certain way of thinking. It was a more "robotic" environment. There were a few times they hired someone and after several months, if they didn't really "fit in" they would let them go.

There were times when employees had no idea what was going on within the company. There was a time when it looked like things were not going well, there was some instability.. The president of our office called a meeting and told everyone how well things were going and that there is enough work for many years to come, etc.. Within less than a year he left the company and they started laying people off. But my point is, they kept everyone in the blind and wanted people to think a certain way.

It was as if they sold all the managers on the idea everything was going as good as possible. And they would all say the same thing when asked the same questions. It created an environment where everyone had to subscribe to a certain way of thinking (or if you didn't subscribe to it, at least appear you have). And if there was an area that could work more efficient by making certain changes, when someone made a suggestion on many occasions you would get the "well we always did it that way so we will leave it like that".

Looking back, the president of the our office was the "leader" and despite the obvious, managers made decisions based around what he said. If he came in to visit a certain department, it was as if it was a huge deal for him to come in. There was only one way of doing things and it was as if the employees were expected to subscribe to a certain mindset, etc..

What do you think?