Disney

Working at Imagineering is pretty much how one might imagine it to be: challenging, engaging, creative, and exciting.

The pay is decent, although only because it was a contract job. I understand that regular employees do not enjoy the higher compensation.

I used to work at another division, MAPO, back in the eighties. Back then, Disney was THE place to work. It had a wonderful family atmosphere, was magical, encouraging of creativity, and had EXCELLENT benefits.

Then Eisner came along and cast the talent to the winds. 'Cast Members' were replaced with contractors. Chances for regular employment are now almost unheard of. Now, rather than keeping talent, building loyalty and familiarity with process, and retaining proprietary knowledge...

If you are going to adopt a contractor-only model, as you have, you may want to consider bringing in individuals that you find possess special skills and intimate knowledge of proprietary processes and standards. One specific reason is to minimize the staggering amount of waste in time, money, loyalty, and talent that is lost every time a contractor that has been with WDI for a couple years is replaced with a new contractor simply because they have outlived their contract.

Keep those WDI-educated people. Build loyalty. Benefit from not needing to invest in a learning curve at each new hire. Return to the shining example that was Disney.

Don't go to the dark, corporate side.