Is this normal culture?
Currently an analyst at a BB bank that is different than the bank where I and I interned (EB). I am really starting to think that my groups culture is not normal. This is my first full-time role out of college though so maybe I am wrong and every bank has this culture.
Here are the things that make me question whether this is normal culture or not:
Gossip - I could honestly tell you that in all of my years of middle and high school I have never experienced as much childish gossip in my life than I do now as an investment banking analyst. Not everyone participates in the analyst group luckily and honestly I fell into this trap at the start. I quickly realized a week in that speaking about others behind their backs can just get you stabbed harder and you can be seen as a terrible person to confide in/work with/be around. Some of the gossip is very inappropriate and damaging to others reputations as well. For example, this person I work with started rumors about certain analysts getting together, the (bad) work quality of other analysts, rumors about people’s pasts, etc.
Attention Seeking - I grew up valuing hard work behind closed doors. A lot of the people in my group act quite entitled for one reason or another. They feel entitled to others caring about them and bowing down to them for doing the bare minimum. I see this most with working the hours. If they got worked one night they will come into the office and let everyone know just how late they worked and expect all sorts of praise and care from others. What blows my mind is how much others give into this pity party. This is done is many more ways than what I have listed but that is one just off the top of my head.
Kissing up - The same people that gossip are the same ones that have the most political power and kiss up. They are always laughing at the MDs terrible jokes, the VPs borderline sexist comment, etc. Because of this everyone loves them and thinks they are fun to be around but in reality they are just faking it and hate all of them behind their back (going back to point 1 on gossip). It is so annoying to me though because I really value being authentic and calling it how I see it. Someone who is lying is getting praise; doesn’t make sense.
This is only scraping the surface of a much larger iceberg but for the sake of anonymity I am only listing my top 3. I am really trying to figure out whether this is normal culture in IB or whether this group is toxic. When I interned at a EB it was worlds better than this but maybe went from good culture to normal culture? I just don’t know … would love some input
Feel like there's no way to win here.
Plenty of groups that are like this. Plenty that are not.
Those that don't have this type of culture get labeled as boring, awkward, reserved, or weird.
Those that do get labeled as fake, gossipy, etc.,
There's probably a balance between being social, outgoing/bubbly and not being labeled as a gossip but it's a pretty hard balance to hit.
Sounds like a normal workplace to me.
Thanks intern
This sounds normal and like my workplace lol
Sounds like a lot of corporate workplaces, not just IB
Lol
Sounds about right
Welcome to corporate. Not only is this normal, the politics continue even when you are older and further along in your career. It will always be a game and balancing act of managing your social and political capital in the workplace, especially in larger groups. Sometimes it all feels a bit like high school - you wouldn’t believe the pettiness I’ve seen from senior folks.
+1
Seen some disgusting things from grown ass people, from my experience smaller groups are more susceptible to this. "We are small tight knit team where everyone knows your name and cares, like family" - well this is where the real gossip/ass kissing happens, in the "family"
Welcome to adult life kid. Unfortunately all of what you mentioned exists in any organisation. You either play the same game or you won’t climb high on the corporate ladder
If this is how you operate then you are a terrible person. No person with solid integrity and respect from others achieves that by being deceitful, which is exactly what everything in the post revolves around. Think about the most successful people in the world for a second and let me know how much gossiping and kissing-up they did to get to where they are. The likes of John Pierpont Morgan, Warren Buffet, Jamie Dimon, Bill Gross, the list goes on … these individuals did not achieve what they achieved by kissing up, gossiping, or other forms of deception. It was via working hard and proving themselves without all of the surrounding noise. If you have ever read the biographies or life stories of some of the most famous financial entrepreneurs then you would realize that the most respected ones (not the ones who got caught up in fraud, manipulation, etc.) achieved their success through honest work and no office culture bs.
If you think that this is the way it is and more importantly the “way it has to be” then you are very mistaken. Maybe if you want to work in TMT IB for GS London for the rest of your life then sure you can make that the culture you foster and build up in your workplace. When you are unhappy in 30 years because you never decided to be grow up and be authentic and honest to those who you surround yourself with and all you have are relationships built on kissing ups, fake laughs, rumors/allegations, etc. no one is going to feel sorry for you. This is an extremely beta take and I hope being beta serves you well because from the sounds of it something tells me you will probably never sit on the other side of the table.
Mate the only difference between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals is the fact that we , Homo Sapiens, can gossip.
It’s in our nature. Grow up.
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