IBM reviews

3.9

78% would recommend to a friend

(107,304 total reviews)
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Arvind Krishna

77% approve of CEO

68% positive business outlook

IBM has an employee rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars, based on 107,304 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The IBM employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Tecnologías de la información industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

107K reviews
1.0
Feb 9, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you are not ambitious and not passionate about your work, if you don't expect much in terms of professional respect, opportunities, fair compensation and fine with being layed off at any time, this might be a company worth considering.

Cons

IBM internal performance review rules promote meritocracy. You can work very hard, accomplish a great deal and still be given a bad or average performance rating just because you were not visible enough to the right people or simply because it was your time to take one for the team. Most employees I know of have given up on trying to improve anything in the products. People are in "survivor" mode - minimum effort for maximum benefit and don't stick your neck out. A lot of truly talented technical people have either left on their own or were layed off. People that seems to be staying behind are poor souls that are stuck at IBM for some reason, or those who play internal politics well.

2.0
Feb 9, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

IBM has/had an excellent software product line, with both bredth and depth. IBM also has some outstanding technical, sales, development and marketing people. If you tap into these resources, you can really grow your own depth and expertise. We also have great links into our clients and business partners, a network you can use both now while you're at IBM, and in your future, should you choose to move on. However, the effectiveness "Team IBM" is often diluted by the product pillar mentality: our executive focus on a particular product pillar, rather than the overall solution that the customer buys. While we talk a great solutions game, it is still painful to implement. There is a lot to be learned at IBM, but I'd suggest you not consider it your end job - think about where you want this company, and your role in it, to take you!

Cons

This company once had a culture based on quality, customer satisfaction, and respect for the individual. These are no longer values held by our executives. Commitments - made to business partners, clients, and employees - are not kept. Executives are not held accountable: the employees are. The executives are given a quota for "management initiated separations" and despite an employee's track record and prior performance, an employee may be dropped from a 1 to a 3 and immediately place on the "measured mile". Even though this runs counter our published guidelines! An "Open Door" will only back the executive, regardless of the evidence. This had not been the case in the past!. On top of this, routine "downsizings" cull the herd, regardless of performance rating. The employment relationship at IBM is out of balance: IBM holds all the cards. Few people get beyond 5 years of service anymore. While some of this may be due to globalization, and some of this is not avoidable, most of it comes from the view by IBM executive leadership that people are no longer desirable resources, but only an expense to be controlled. They're missing the point that a loyal employee will produce so much more than one just doing his time. Presently, IBM is schizophrenic: there are some outstanding people in IBM who live up to the old expectations and basic beliefs, and others who are just collecting their unearned executive bonuses.

4.0
Feb 9, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fair Pay, Work life Balance, Annual Bonus, Benefits, Corporate Credit Card. IBM does have a wonderful attitude towards it's employees. You are rewarded well for good work. When they let you go they offer you great packages plus training and allow access to professional counselors to help you get back in the work force. They started a alumni network so that employees can network and keep in touch as well as share information about jobs. This alumni network is sort of like a linked-in for former IBMers. The corporate card does help you with the travel issues. They made it comfortable to be on the road again.

Cons

Travel, Competitive Employees, Downsizing, Two many chiefs not enough Indians, Inferior Management, They favor non-heterosexual employees probably due to the travel situation.

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