Boeing

Relaxed work atmosphere, low expectations. It's hard to get in trouble or be let go (the same goes for the dummies too). There are enough benefits and pay to be comfortable. It's probably as good as it gets for work/life balance.

Poor equipment. Pay is less than at other software companies. Management knows nothing about IT, all the way up the chain.

Finance drives everything. Things are no longer built in-house; everything is pushed to be bought from typically Microsoft or other large vendors, even when it makes no financial sense.

If you like working in a call center, all IT employees are being put into those desks and environment. They cram as many people into 5x5 "cubes" with no walls, so you have to hear everyone on the phone and have no place to put your stuff. Yet, they still can't afford to give us free drip coffee.

The mass exodus started years ago when the company began to push away from the West Coast, with recurring layoffs every six months, trying to get everyone to St. Louis. Good employees leave quickly after seeing the bureaucracy and the fact that MBAs and PHDs are paid poorly and don't get promotions, just like everyone else.

Talent doesn't warrant promotions either, and they don't happen since the overall budget is still in a freeze. No upward mobility, especially for those in senior positions like myself.

As the economy has improved, Boeing posts higher profits, and the overall IT industry grows, Boeing tells its employees they're overpaid, need to cut back, should be happy for what they have, and that the West Coast isn't worth having programmers.

Try hiring top talent in the areas (West Coast) where it's easy to find. You'll have to pay better and build a better environment, but that's not what you like to do.

Build software in-house when it makes sense to. Take care of your employees, offer flexible virtual arrangements for those that perform well. Remove blanket policies that punish good employees for the mistakes of bad ones.