Company: IBM
Date: 2015-04-15
Overall rating: 2/5
Employment status: current

Consultant_ID
Pros: Rich history. IBM has done (and continues to do) many good things for the world. Without IBM, NASA wouldn't have sent a man to the moon. We wouldn't have the personal computer. Women and minorities wouldn't have the types of management opportunities that IBM has afforded them. For a very long time, IBM's heart and soul were aimed in the right direction. And, I am continuing to be impressed by Watson's capabilities. It should prove to be a game changer for millions.
Cons: At some point (actually, during the height of the recession), IBM opted to purchase good companies who were in distress, rather than enhance and reward their existing talent pool. For the three worst years of the recession, IBM did exceedingly well. But, Sam Palmisano saw the tidal wave that was about to hit, and took a HUGE severance package, leaving our current president (Ginni Rommetty) with a mess to clean up. Eight straight quarters of declining revenue, stealth layoffs (some that have impacted entire state economies), morale that is sinking, and a North American workforce that is afraid that they won't have a job after 2015. Many are hoping to get laid off with a severance package. Even more are opting for early retirement. At least then, they can take a break and recover before looking for another job. Work life balance no longer exists. One former employee, a woman who opted for part time status (she had a child) was forced to pay $150,000 in court fees when she claimed that she was asked to work a 60 hour week, even though she was being paid for 20. While I have no court fees yet, I can personally attest that my reduced workload has been a bonanza for IBM. I am always assigned work that is improperly scoped, and when I complain that I am not being paid for a 60 hour work week, the only response that I get (from a well intentioned manager) is to be more efficient in managing my time. Whatever. IBM's forced attrition plan (aka "Roadmap 2015) virtually guarantees that they will continue to shed honest, skilled, hard working folks. Our replacements, while nice folks, will be under paid, over-utilized, and in constant fear of losing their job. Really too bad, because IBM has the potential to turn this sinking ship around. For their sake, I hope that they do.