One Floor Down

Some Places Are Easier to Work Than Others

One would think that all businesses were similar, but I found, sometimes the hard way, that businesses, although outwardly the same, could be very different—just one floor down.

Over the years I’ve discovered that it’s not just the nature of the business, or the venue in which it sits, that determines what the business is like; more importantly what it would be like to work there.

Although the nature of the business would seem to be the biggest indicator; I found that the culture of the business had a greater influence on its atmosphere—its workability.

By workability, I mean how hard—or easy—it is to work there.

And, the older/more established the business is; the more entrenched the culture is, and the more people who are attracted to that culture tend to stay.

There are other things that influence this equation, the particular managers, the market, the industry, which dictates the type of employee; sales people, engineers, doctors or everyday run-of-the mill middle managers.

But culture seems to sit on the top of it all and have the strongest influence.

Freshly out of high school, I worked for a big bank. The culture in this big bank revolved around the dollar and only the dollar. If you missed an hour, for whatever reason, that hour was missing from your check. But, for some reason you stayed an extra hour that somehow was overlooked.

You received a flat salary when it suited them and a short salary when it suited them too.

I tried a security firm next. They were more equitable. If you worked past 40, you got paid extra per hour. But, with this company you got no benefits, and God forbid you do anything not in the rule book. Goodbye!

So, I worked security for an old persons’ home in a historic building in Philly. I got a free apartment in a historic building on the U of P campus—a benefit in more ways than one. The people were nice, the atmosphere warm, the meals were included.

The police department was good in that it had written rules for me to follow. Piece of cake you might think, until lawyers, political bosses, and the public weighed in. One day it was nirvana the next nerve-wracking. But the most fun I ever had with my clothes on!

Then the corporate world. What a confusing place that can be.

One company will throw money at you to keep you there, and treat you like a dog!

The next will treat you like a long lost member of the family, and be just as cheap.

I once worked in a building for a company that I have to say has to be one of the best places I’ve ever worked. The people were smart, happy, cordial, helpful and patient.

I went down the stairs one day to the company on the first floor. It was like stepping into an Ice Cave! The people would jump when you walked by; they were so afraid of management.

On one occasion we had to chase them out of the building. They had actually been trained to ignore fire drills.
It was so ingrained that when the building actually caught fire; they wouldn’t leave!
The fire marshal had to threaten them with arrest to get them out!

And, all that can change, if a new manager walks in—for worse or for better.

I eventually realized that I couldn’t change a company’s culture. I could only choose whether to stay in it.

Which brings me to something I picked up somewhere along that journey.
Always have an exit strategy.

I always kept an eye open for the next opportunity. Not because I was unhappy where I was, but because I never assumed the job I had would be the best one I’d ever have.

I expanded my repertoire of things that I liked to do, that I was good at, found someone who needed them, and would pay for them.

I further enhanced my ability to go around, over, and under the social contract, looking for places where competence mattered more than conformity.

Finding needs and filling them.

Written July 8 2026