Company: IBM
Date: 2014-12-31
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current

IBM the Big Blue Titan
Pros: People are IBM's greatest asset and part of what keeps people around. The commitment that management has to developing their employees and ensuring their success (if they want it) is unparalleled. That is how you cultivate relationships/talent and build loyalties in your organizations. There is a familial sense in some of these organizations that really drive a sense of belonging. 

Considerable amount of flexibility in your work, the group will cause this to vary a bit. My experience has been that you do not have to be in your seat all day in order for your work to be seen. They are very much focused on what you are delivering and the timeliness of those deliverables. 

Management in my group has been very adamant about taking the time you need for you, and your family. They are cognizant of the fact that people have obligations outside of their traditional working hours and make an effort to accommodate those reasonably. In addition to that, there is considerable time off given for vacation and holidays. Nearly 4 weeks of vacation when you first start and that progresses upward after a given number of years.
Cons: The macro environment is probably as bad as it could be. On an annual basis there is at least one layoff, with people leaving intermittently as a result of constant churn. The macro culture as a result of all this is suffering and there is a sense that people do not care nearly as much as they used to. Additionally, pay is mediocre and raises are often joked about as things of the past.