Intel

Reasonable compensation, plus "panem et circenses" including free fruit and soft drinks, and free movie tickets once a quarter or so.

Intel was once a great company, managed by great men such as Robert Noyce and Andy Grove (who was the CEO when I started work at Intel).

As the years have gone by, the leadership of the CEOs (and, inevitably, the management chain under them) has steadily degraded to what seems like rock bottom with the current CEO, Brian Krzanich.

BK, as he is affectionately (?) known, is in way over his head, and seems to be running the company more as a social justice platform than as a business. Failed decisions follow failed decisions, each accompanied by multi-billion dollar losses.

But what does this mean to the average employee? Nothing good: intent on making up for lost profits through cost cutting, the company has decided that loyalty to employees is a thing of the past. They are working to transfer all jobs to the lowest bidder by replacing US jobs with overseas jobs, and experienced workers with new hires.

To accomplish this, they are laying off (or encouraging the defection of) tens of thousands of their best and most experienced people. This is cratering employee morale, and leaving behind more work for less people.

Trust me, you don't want to be one of those 'left behind', nor do you want to begin your career with a company that will start you off in such an environment.

Workplace accommodations have been dropping for years - employees are expected to empty their own trash, accept smaller cubicles every year, and overcrowded buildings make it tough to even find a conference room.

Benefits have been dropping for years - at one time Intel hired the best and brightest, and strived for first-in-class pay and benefits. Now they look for employees who are merely 'qualified', and continuously decrease benefits (such as retirement benefits), shooting for compensation that 'is in line with peer averages'.

If you're a low to mediocre performer, Intel may be the place for you. For the best and brightest, you would be better off looking elsewhere.

Employees will only give loyalty when they perceive that the company is loyal to them. When this trust does not exist, expect that valued employees will leave, secrets will fly out the door, morale will plummet, and productivity will crash. Get rid of BK; perhaps someone like Diane Bryant is up to the job?