Marcus Richards
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of factors converged to cause the Great Resignation. Tech and office workers learnt that they could do their jobs from home, or anywhere else, remotely. They left existing jobs for those that offered better hours, pay, benefits, and overall flexibility.
Though the Great Resignation slowed down and was replaced by “quiet quitting” in early 2023, many employees are still making a shift – leaving corporate giants in favour of small to medium-sized startups.
Is employment with a startup the right choice for you? Learn how making such a move can help you gain relevant experience and put your existing experiences and skills to work. It might help you feel more fulfilled as well.
Need Flexibility? Startups Have It
For at least two decades, American tech startups in Silicon Valley have been attractive to workers because of their perks, including flexible hours, paid leave for mental wellbeing or parenthood, in-house wellness programs, and the like.
All of these are still a draw, not just for American startups, but in the UK as well. As many large companies are demanding remote workers return to the office post-pandemic, most startups still allow employees to choose their own hours and work from a home office, so long as their productivity does not suffer.
Startups Innovate Faster
As already mentioned, startups have more readily embraced workforce changes like remote and flexible work options than their corporate peers. But startups innovate more quickly in other ways as well.
Large companies may have established “red tape” before new projects can be embarked on or organisational changes can be made, while small companies are often more agile. They may embrace new technologies more rapidly. In the same vein, startups may be quicker to notice and react to changes in the market and public opinion.
Startups are often known for “disrupting” their industries , “changing the rules… in an industry by doing things differently.” If you’re looking for that type of excitement in your career, a startup may be for you.
Increased Project Ownership
In big companies with a huge workforce caring for momentous projects, each individual works as part of a team on a highly specialised project component. That level of specificity may work for some people, but others crave the start-to-finish, making-the-impossible-happen energy that only startups can bring.
At a startup, you may find yourself wearing many “hats,” as it were. Budgets may not allow for large teams, so you may need to take on multiple tasks at once. You might even find yourself learning new skills when no one else on the payroll has them.
This fast-paced and exciting work environment is often ideal for creatives, and such extensive work can help you flesh out your CV with additional skills. Being all-in and following projects to completion can be more fulfilling than more compartmentalised work at larger firms.
Accelerated Career Growth
According to Forbes magazine, working for a startup fosters “the opportunity to help scale the organization and influence the direction in which it grows.”
At a larger company, on the other hand, “you may not have the opportunity to influence or grow the company in a significant way unless you are an executive or founding member.”
This makes a startup an ideal environment for someone hoping to drive real change in their industry or quickly climb the corporate ladder.
Starting Your Own Business
One of the most persuasive reasons for leaving big business may be that of creating your own startup. Many online tools once relegated to the biggest players are now affordable, and the digital landscape allows you to hire talent from around the world, not just your own geographical back garden.
Some nearby countries are even offering incentives for relocation and new startups. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, Ireland is offering tax incentives and relocation grants for workers willing to establish in rural areas, as well as creating 400 remote working hubs. Other grants are available if you can hire 10 employees and expect to make at least €1 million in three years.
Italy, too, is hoping to repopulate small villages by offering inexpensive housing (if you are willing to renovate), and various residency and startup grants.
If ever you dreamt of starting your own business, now may be the time!
Conclusion
Leaving a large business for a startup may seem like a leap of faith, but it can have great benefits for those well-suited to a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. These include flexibility, innovation, ownership, career growth, and even starting your own business.
If you’re looking for excitement and a change of pace, coupled with continued learning and intense project engagement, check out the startups in your speciality today.
