Taro Logo

Good Benefits, Bad Management

Advisory Software Engineer
Former Employee
Worked at IBM for less than 1 year
October 6, 2008
Austin, Texas
2.0
Doesn't Recommend
Pros

IBM has very diverse training available on-line. Classroom courses can be taken, but travel is usually restricted, so this option may not be available.

The health benefits are good, and vacation time and holidays are generous. There is no set number of sick days.

There are numerous opportunities through the IBM Club to participate in other recreational and social activities. Many employees can work from home. One can have an office and work from home most of the time.

There are sports facilities at many of the IBM plant locations for employees to use. IBM occasionally has employee social events.

Cons

Most IBM managers lack people skills and upward manage. This means management is mostly interested in what makes them look good to their boss, regardless of the negative effect it has on their team's morale or the lack of any benefit to customers. The managers reward those that play the politics and appear to be supportive of them. Many of these employees have become good at this while working only a total of 20 hours a week or less from home. Any employee who suggests approaches to business objectives other than what their managers requested is thanked and then excluded from any future rewards.

Advice to Management

Remember that people are your best asset and cannot be replaced on a quarter-to-quarter basis to meet short-term financial objectives.

Was this helpful?

IBM Interview Experiences