When Companies Start Acting Like Governments—And That’s Not a Good Thing

Have you ever noticed that some companies seem to be run more like government bureaucracies than dynamic businesses? Instead of focusing on real innovation, solving problems, and creating value, they become obsessed with internal politics, appearances, and maintaining power structures. Just like inefficient government administrations, these companies prioritize looking good over being good.

Rather than taking risks and driving real progress, they get bogged down in red tape, endless meetings, and PR strategies designed to shape perception rather than deliver results. The similarities between how these companies operate and how some governments function are striking—and not in a good way.

How Companies Are Becoming More Like Governments

1. They Focus on Image, Not Impact
Just like politicians who make big promises but fail to deliver, many companies spend more time crafting their public image than improving their products or services. They push flashy campaigns about their “innovation,” “commitment to diversity,” or “sustainability,” but when you look behind the curtain, little is actually changing.

2. Bureaucracy Over Efficiency
In a government office, decision-making can be painfully slow due to layers of approvals and endless committees. Many corporations are now adopting the same approach—employees get stuck in meetings, approval chains grow longer, and even simple tasks require navigating a complex web of internal politics.

3. Short-Term Thinking for Public Approval
Politicians often focus on quick wins to stay in office rather than long-term policies that actually solve problems. Similarly, many companies prioritize quarterly earnings, stock prices, and investor relations over sustainable growth and meaningful innovation. They’ll cut costs, hype up minor product updates, or chase trends rather than invest in real breakthroughs.

4. The Illusion of Innovation
Governments sometimes announce ambitious projects that never really take off (think infrastructure plans that never break ground). Likewise, companies love to talk about being cutting-edge, but in reality, they’re just repackaging old ideas, buying out competitors, or using trendy buzzwords like AI and blockchain without any real advancements.

5. A Disconnect from Employees and Customers
Just as politicians can become detached from the people they represent, corporate executives often lose touch with their employees and customers. Instead of fixing real workplace issues, they introduce vague culture initiatives. Instead of improving products based on customer needs, they focus on what sounds good in an investor meeting.

Three Companies That Feel More Like Governments Than Businesses

1. Meta (Facebook) – Meta is a prime example of a company obsessed with controlling its public image while struggling to deliver real value. The Metaverse was marketed as the future, yet it remains an expensive, impractical project with little real-world adoption.

2. WeWork – Like a government promising grand infrastructure projects without proper planning, WeWork claimed to be revolutionizing workspaces. In reality, it was just an overvalued real estate company with bad financial management.

3. IBM – Once an innovation leader, IBM now feels like a slow-moving government agency. It’s full of bureaucracy, focuses more on consulting than groundbreaking technology, and constantly rebrands instead of actually delivering major tech advancements.

How to Tell If You Work at a "Government-Like" Company

If your workplace feels more like a public office than a business, here are five warning signs:

1. Decisions Take Forever – Simple tasks require endless approvals, committees, or unnecessary meetings.

2. More PR Than Progress – The company makes big announcements about innovation, culture, or values, but employees see little real change.

3. Everything Is Overcomplicated – Processes, policies, and rules seem designed to slow things down rather than make work easier.

4. Short-Term Fixes Over Long-Term Solutions – The focus is on quarterly results, cutting costs, or temporary hype rather than sustained growth and improvement.

5. Leadership Is Out of Touch – Executives seem more focused on pleasing investors and media than understanding what employees or customers actually need.

When companies start operating like inefficient government administrations, they lose their ability to innovate, adapt, and create real value. Instead of solving problems, they focus on appearing successful. The good news? The most impactful changes often come from smaller, leaner teams that focus on action rather than bureaucracy.

Have you ever worked at a company that felt like a slow-moving government office? Share your experience in the comments!

Francisco Cobos

🐢 “Poc a Poc” (Little by Little)