Highlights
- Small organizations offer better visibility and influence, help build a more holistic skill set, enable rapid growth, and provide plenty of entrepreneurial exposure.
- Large organizations usually come with bigger budgets and resources, scope for specialization, global exposure (if it is an MNC), and a more structured growth path.
- Evaluating the culture, growth opportunities, and aligning the role with one’s career aspirations would enable HR professionals to contribute meaningfully to their chosen career path.
After reaching a certain point in their careers, senior management professionals face a major dilemma when taking on new roles and responsibilities. They must decide whether to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond. In this metaphor, the fish represents the job role/designation, and the pond represents the size of the organization.
For senior HR professionals, the choice often lies between becoming domain heads in well-established prominent companies or taking on the lead HR role in a growing startup or small to mid-scale organization. To understand the reasoning behind their career choices, ETHRWorld spoke to HR leaders from startups and prominent MNCs across industries.
While it ultimately comes down to personal career preferences, this article explores the advantages and disadvantages of both choices.
Depends on individual orientation
According to Swadesh Behera, Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President at Titan Company, the decision ultimately depends on an individual’s career goals, aspirations, and orientation. “If you are passionate about making a broad impact on HR practices, shaping organizational culture, and leveraging your wide-ranging expertise, the HR Head role in a smaller organization might be appealing,” he says.
“On the other hand, if you are inclined to become a specialist in a specific HR domain and value the resources and global exposure that come with larger organizations, then pursuing a domain role in a well-known company or MNC could be the right path for you,” Behera adds.
Not a fish!
Vidhi Verma, Lead – People Strategy at Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, believes that career choices are not limited to just one option. She says, “I think the beauty of the corporate world is that it really allows one to discover multiple avenues and lets people design their career the way they want it to be!”
“A professional management career in India can last around 35 years or so, which is more than enough time for an individual to explore a wide range of roles across industries, geographies, organization complexities, and sizes. As people transition through different phases of life, their choices, interests, and capabilities also change,” she adds.
Verma also points out that the world is rapidly evolving, and what may seem like an appealing career goal at a certain point in one’s career may not be the reality 15 years later.
“To me, the choice is never between being a big fish or a small fish. After all, I am not a fish! Personally, I am most lured by learning opportunities and organizational cultures, so I will opt for a role that provides me with the learning and autonomy that I aspire to, at that given point in life,” says Verma.
Gathering some experience first
On similar lines, Akshay Raje, Head – People & Culture at Scaler, says that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this career dilemma. He believes that the choices emerge only after gaining some experience, whether in a small, medium, or large organization. During the initial years, the primary goal should be to learn as much as possible, and this decision should be made consciously.
“The decision to choose between a small or a big organization should be made after sincere introspection of one’s own strengths and weaknesses. We need to be very clear on what we want to do with our lives; we would rather not have regrets,” Raje adds.
The end goal is to be a ‘big fish in a big pond’
Raje believes that this career conundrum unveils a spectrum of considerations, personal ambitions, and potential growth avenues. He says, “My personal opinion is that the most typical career end goal is to be a ‘big fish in a big pond.’ Both approaches are different pathways to reach this end.”
This HR Head opts for startups
Devaiah Somayanda, Head of Human Resources at Dozee, personally chooses the startup landscape because it offers the opportunity to shape not only the company’s strategies but also its overarching trajectory. Being part of a fast-paced, innovative ecosystem aligns with his passion for driving change and pioneering new approaches.
“The allure of working in a startup lies in the profound impact one can create. In such an environment, senior executives can foster a more direct connection with the team, driving innovation and growth while wearing multiple hats. This close-knit dynamic enables faster decision-making, quicker adaptability to market shifts, and an increased sense of ownership,” he adds.
As someone deeply involved in the dynamic field of HR and leading the HR team at a growing startup in the health technology domain, Somayanda wholeheartedly advocates for the path of startups, which are driven by innovation and the pursuit of meaningful impact.
“As a representative of the vibrant startup ecosystem, I encourage individuals to explore the dynamic landscape that startups provide, where their contributions can truly make waves. The culture encourages senior management professionals to lead by example, fostering a spirit of ownership, adaptability, and perseverance,” Somayanda says.
“The palpable energy and the potential to witness the direct fruits of one’s labor make the scenario of being a big fish in a small pond appealing to many. While established corporations offer stability and the potential to manage a large team within a well-defined framework, the excitement of pioneering innovative solutions and being at the forefront of industry transformation is a unique facet of startups,” he points out.
Pros and cons of working with small-scale organizations
Commenting on the advantages of being the HR Head in a small to medium-scale organization, Behera of Titan says, “You get exposure to a broad range of HR functions and a dynamic and flexible environment that allows you to implement innovative HR initiatives. You can also have a direct and tangible impact in shaping the organization’s overall HR strategy and practices.”
Raje of Scaler says that while small organizations offer better visibility and influence, help build a more holistic skill set, enable rapid growth, and provide plenty of entrepreneurial exposure, they also come with limited resources and bigger responsibilities that need to be handled by individuals who are ready to take them on. It may also offer limited networking opportunities.
Adding to that, Behera says that the limitations in resources and budgets might potentially affect the ability to execute comprehensive programs and the lack of deep expertise/specialization in a particular HR domain.
Verma of Coca-Cola also points out that while top leadership roles at small or mid-scale organizations require end-to-end competence in HR verticals and a hyper aptitude for scale-up, they can appear stressful in terms of the lesser resources and fast pace of work.
Pros and cons of working with large-scale organizations
Raje of Scaler says that large organizations usually come with bigger budgets and resources, scope for specialization, global exposure (if it is an MNC), and a more structured growth path. “However, it also means that we have to be content with niche roles with limited responsibilities, face intense competition for bigger roles, and have a lot of patience to deal with corporate bureaucracy,” he adds.
According to Verma of Coca-Cola, the core challenges in this setup come from the organizational alignment of goals, dealing with a large and often geographically spread employee base, and bigger leadership teams.
Do what you love!
Behera of Titan says that ultimately, evaluating the culture, growth opportunities, and aligning the role with one’s career aspirations would enable HR professionals to contribute meaningfully to their chosen career path.
In conclusion, Raje of Scaler says, “Whatever choices we make, it is important to keep an open mind and be willing to change if and when we realize that we may have made a less-than-ideal decision. As the saying goes, do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.”
Whether one chooses to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond, it’s important to remember that it’s still a pond. Only those who know how to navigate against the water current can move ahead. Otherwise, they risk drowning, regardless of the pond’s size. Similarly, regardless of the scale of the organization, one must keep reinventing themselves by upskilling and adapting to changing trends in order to maintain success in top positions.
