Apple – “Ups and Downs; Overworked and Underpaid”
Pros
There is an employee discount of 25% on Apple products and 10% on third-party accessories. The 25% discount can be used once every three years on laptops and computers, within-reasonable-quantities on accessories, and once a year on everything else (iPods, etc.) This discount does not apply to phones but you do get a 20% discount off AT&T.
The cafeterias are good: They are reasonably priced, have many organic and vegan options, and use compostable containers and utensils. In addition, they host beer bashes every milestone or product launch, and other fun events.
Cons
The corporate culture for the engineers is to stay until at least dinner, with no overtime for salaried workers. The other con is the strange culture surrounding Steve Jobs. When he walks into and out of the cafeteria or around campus, the standard is to keep talking and ignore him, but discuss his health immediately after he is out of earshot. It seems as if the future of the company is uncertain and largely dependent on SJ's health and well-being.
Advice to Senior Management
All of the managers I met while at Apple seemed very competent. In addition, it seems as though they've subscribed to the "beehive mentality" I've heard described and seen in action. I appreciated the fact that management at Apple gained respect through the ability to stay organized and get things done.