Intel

-- Intel tries to make it a "Great Place To Work".

• They have free movies/events and free fruit. If you are non-exempt (non-salary), this is great. If you are exempt (salaried), it depends on your specific job if it is really a benefit, since work still piles up.

-- They have a full doctor's office on site, so getting healthcare is very easy.

-- They have a nice gym/fitness program & many fitness classes.

-- They have a shuttle to public transit for those who wish to go green, and they offer a pre-tax benefit so that you can save money on public transit.

There is a divide between the treatment of exempt (salaried) employees and non-exempt employees, technical and non-technical employees, and levels of stress based on how close you are to the Fab.

If you are salaried, in a highly technical area that is in TMG (The Manufacturing Group), you will often be expected to work your nights and weekends with no added compensation.

Ironically, the higher your degree level (PhD being the worst), you will be less appreciated than others because others will expect you to meet unrealistic deadlines that force you to work 60-80 hour weeks.

Deadlines are often set on weekends or right after holidays so that you are forced to work on your "off-time".

The fast pace/high demands are not offset by freedom. You are no longer allowed to work from home unless you have a good reason, and you are expected to be physically present at least standard work hours.

There is a lot of hypocrisy here. There are "Great Place to Work" events that appear to be geared towards employees who are not worked as hard.

Upper management throws around the term "great place to work", but the extra events, team builders, or dinners seem forced and just to save face. They are for all employees (technicians and less technical staff also), not just for those for whom they are likely designed to offset the long hours. There is nothing extra for those who work crazy hours.

The "Great Place to Work" events come with a cost. If there is a deadline coming up or the Fab is waiting on you, your work still needs to get done, so you may get free food or a free movie, but will have to work late because your work is still there.

It is unacceptable to have deadlines due right after the holidays or over the weekend. For exempt employees, we are expected to work over the weekend instead of spending time with our families. Right now, it is not a give-and-take relationship. Intel takes, but does not give back. If employees work nights and weekends, they need to get this time back – this is the definition of work-life balance. At Intel, it appears that you are more appreciated if you are a technician or on the business side of things than if you are a highly educated engineer.