A Love Letter to Corporate

Dear Corporate America,

I've started engaging on LinkedIn this year, and there is a resounding feeling of love/hate toward you. It's much more hate than love, but since so many remain in a relationship with you, I can only assume that there is some love there. With the strong emotions observed over the past couple of months, I felt it necessary to write this letter.

Nationwide Insurance

I've known you since the tenth grade, when I began working for Nationwide Insurance. It was an exciting time, getting office clothes and shoes for my first real job. The office was cold and quiet, but I loved how clean and neat everything was. I'd receive small tasks here and there, and before I knew it, it was time to go home. The best part of our brand new relationship was the award you sent me every two weeks in the form of a check. It was a beautiful beginning to a lifetime of love and happiness.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield

I had the chance to grow closer to you when I entered college; as a summer intern with Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS), I excitedly participated in what became the traditional shopping trip with my mother to obtain work clothes. My time with you at BCBS was short-lived over the summers, but I learned a lot during those times. Specifically, I learned the importance of extremely tedious tasks; I was responsible for removing staples from insurance claims planned for processing in a machine that would otherwise halted the process. Again, the bi-weekly awards kept me happy and content.

Hewlett-Packard

Once I graduated college, I began working for Electronic Data Systems (on the General Motors account), which was soon thereafter acquired by Hewlett-Packard. Around this same time, the Global Financial Crisis was in full swing. I witnessed the stress and grief experienced by adults who had real responsibilities at home, and whose positions were at risk - as is the case during any merger/acquisition. Considering that I was a younger employee, absolutely thrilled to be earning $48,000/year - yet knowing that I was considered cheap labor - I had very minimal fear of losing my position. Nonetheless, the anxiety of those around me was extremely overbearing. Once the dust settled and many coworkers were no longer present, it was time to get back to work and return to business-as-usual (BAU). Perhaps, this is when I learned how cold you could be toward others, but luckily not me.

General Electric

After spending approximately four years with Hewlett-Packard, and lacking the sense of loyalty I observed in my peers, I sought opportunities outside of HP. With a little determination and persistence, I landed a great role with General Electric; this was the first time in my career where I took the position of someone much older and more experienced than me. I could sense the woman's frustration as she trained me in the current state processes, but I also recognized that there were opportunities in the processes and procedures that likely couldn’t be rectified by her. I debated whether or not this was "fair" given her years of experience, but ultimately, my opinion didn't matter since the leadership called all the shots. And let’s not forget, again, you showed favor toward me.

Bank of America

Though I appreciated the my role within the company, I desired to be the person calling the shots. Therefore, I left GE to pursue my MBA at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School. During the summer, I was able to intern with Bank of America and land an offer for the Technology MBA Leadership Development Program. My six years with Bank of America offered many experiences, but the overarching theme observed was the idea of borrowed time; the majority of employees expressed their unhappy thoughts and feelings of you, as well as their hopes and dreams to leave you and begin a life all their own.

Gradually, I began to adapt the same mindset, slowly but surely, toward you. Maybe I was supposed to be doing something greater, more aligned with my true passions in life. Maybe you actually were as toxic and cruel as they suggested. Nonetheless, I moved from Assistant Vice President (15' - 17'), to Vice President (18' - 20'), to Senior Vice President (21'), and realized that I didn't have the same level of disdain toward you as my peers. Furthermore, I was very thrilled to utilize the various benefits that you offered, such as dietitians, free therapy sessions, senior care, attorney's, 401k matches, and more.

Truist

I transitioned to Truist to obtain more work-life balance after having my baby girl, and was able to enjoy the much needed flexibility remote work. You also gave me a larger annual award, as well as a pension. Meanwhile, I still found employees constantly unhappy with performance reviews, small bonuses, lack of internal mobility, etc. The complaints were par for the course, but the eventual cost savings environment led to an even larger sense of frustration amongst employees. If there were any time that I would expect you to let me down, it would be now, during a time of unprecedented layoffs across the tech sector and a less than favorable interest rate environment for banks; but you gave me a promotion in a new organization within Truist just hours before my department was largely wiped out!

My Commitment to You, Corporate

I want this letter to serve as my commitment to you, regardless of the difficult times that we may encounter along the way. I appreciate the way you’ve taken care of me, and I love helping others learn how to not only coexists with you, but to thrive with you as well. Thank you for your unwavering support provided to-date, and I look forward to many more years to come!

Love,

Dan Rogers