IBM

You get to work in an energized environment with a lot of very smart people. The projects actually go out to customers that provide us with feedback and give you the drive to continually improve your design(s). Even if you are an engineer, you directly impact the bottom line no matter where you are on the totem pole. It's a fun place to be if you get on projects that are highly visible by upper management; otherwise, it can get pretty boring fast.

Management tends to not recognize high achievers in their immediate areas, and in some cases even promotes/awards slackers. Projects that are funded can suddenly not be funded, and the reasons aren't provided to the workers. Since the downturn in the economy, raises/bonuses have been weak and/or non-existent in most cases for employees. However, management is tied to the stock, so they've been making out pretty nicely. Also, with IBM being a global company as they promote all over the place, all that means is that they are growing our BRIC share (Brazil, Russia, India, China) geographies while getting rid of American employees. Granted, this is a capitalist society; it's just sad to see all the expertise and quality control slip away to these emerging countries.

Without micromanaging, have a good pulse on your group. Know who the real contributors are!

Also, push back on everything going to India/China. It's been proven time after time that given the limited resources we have in favor of these emerging countries, we still provide better work with less.

Also, bring back better raises and bonuses to retain employees and foster growth. Nobody wants to work somewhere for multiple years without a single dollar of an increase. Not even cost of living!

It's sad to see a company that once many revered as being the premiere company in the US to work for slide so far down the list. Listen to your employees and learn from them!