IBM

Encouraged to be innovative and expand your skillset (given time during normal work hours). Co-workers are generally positive and help you find your place within a team.

Policies, toolsets, and procedures change faster than teams can adapt. A lot of really good tools and ideas are quickly tossed aside before they really reach efficiency.

There is a lot of resistance to change from the veterans (both in age and experience), even if the changes will save them time and frustrations. But given the above, you quickly see their point of view.

We realize IBM makes a good share of profits by being a patent hoarder – and that’s nothing new. But it would be great if we could stop putting promotions, raises, and recognitions behind arbitrary patent counts. Most of these contribute nothing to the world, let alone a chance to actually be used.