IBM

Nice projects, mostly nice people. You can actually feel the difference you make for the clients. Generally, I would say that it's still better than like 30-40% of the smaller companies on the market.

Salary in general is OK, around mid-salary for the industry, but it could be better. Salary raises were minuscule this year. For me, it was like 4% despite being above expectations, and it was similar for everyone in the team. Getting promoted can take anywhere from 3 months to 9 months (an actual case of my coworker who got promoted after waiting 9 months and handing in a notice right before receiving it).

Returning to the office makes no sense (3 days mandatory at least). If one year ago I could write that IBM has good work-life balance, now I am not so sure about that. It is still better than in companies that work fully in the office, but it looks like IBM is going there as well. And it's not like the office is any good. It's a simple office space, with cheap coffee and nowhere to relax, take a pause, or re-think something. It's just a sit at your desk and stare at the monitor kind of office.

Mandatory 3 days in office just makes no sense, except for showing control, that you don't care about employees. It should be completely at the will of the employee or like 1 day mandatory at max. Offices really should have some relax space to make a pause. And fruits on Tuesdays only and cheap coffee are kinda not contributing well enough for the office atmosphere.