Anyone with even a basic knowledge of the tendencies of cult-like corporate culture will recognize these tendencies immediately upon their employment with Q2. From day 1 employees are told countless times by HR what a great place Q2 is to work at, as if that's not something you could figure out and decide for yourself. You're then put through upwards of ten separate orientation sessions in order to make sure you're aware of every aspect of the business--some of these sessions are useful, though most are not. You then give a presentation at the end of these sessions summarizing why you think Q2's mission is so important for communities. In your first few weeks here, you're also given a buddy to eat with so they can tell you even more about the company and how great it is. You are then sent to a lunch with a manager of a department you don't even work in so you can learn even more about why Q2 is great.
Q2 is great because you don't have to leave for lunch--they have free coffee and apples and a mini market with sandwiches and salads. You don't have to leave to workout because they have a fitness center. You don't have to leave to help your community--they have committees for green initiatives and volunteer activities. You don't have to leave to see your friends because you'll make tons of new friends here. You don't even have to leave to buy new things because you are given hats, shirts, coffee mugs, backpacks. And on the weekends, you may not be here physically but you don't have to leave mentally because you can volunteer and play golf and go drinking with everyone from Q2, all while checking your work email on your company paid cellphone. Now just replace all of the "don't have to's" with "don't get to" and you'll see my point.
A few examples of cult culture:
1. Our yearly meeting in January consisted of a, I kid you not, drum circle. Each employee was supplied a drum and led by an "inspirational" speaker who referred to all departments as "tribes" and all of the employees as "trust warriors".....
2. Employees are not given the WiFi password to use on their personal phones unless they have a company phone. Anyone can have a company phone on the condition that they check their work email from it and are always on call.
3. Some managers require you to hang the company mission statement in your personal area (note personal area, not cube) so you never forget it. You may be quizzed on the mission statement at any time.
If you still dont see this and work at Q2 now, just try to be different for a few days and see how it goes. Finish all of your projects on time or even early and leave at a decent hour, and you'll come to find your coworkers despise your sudden lack of commitment (even as you complete the same or even more work than them). Take some "paid time off" and actually take the time off, and don't check your email, and see how everyone's attitude towards you has changed for the worse since you left. Don't go to lunch with your coworkers or boss and spend that time as you actually want to, and see how fast they stop inviting you altogether, or even start heading out to leave while you're in the bathroom so they don't have to talk to you anymore.
You'll either get my point by now and steer clear of this manipulative corporation or you'll scoff and keep drinking the kool-aid. If you enjoy extremely low pay, bad benefits, and have a complete lack of personal life then you'll really get along well at Cult2.
