Hewlett-Packard Reviews in Redmond, WA

Pros

Large, Stable company - lots of world-wide opportunities for change and flexibility. One of the main players in the High-Tech world, and likes to try and retain folks.

Cons

The company is big, very diversified, but current focus is on cost cutting and down-sizing like a small firm. This lead to lots of conflict, and also a poor way of getting things like basic job functions done. Also, each group is more worried about its internal priorities than how it fits in with the company overall. Lack of a cohesive leadership and direction

Advice to Senior Management

Pay more attention to the people, not the bottom line - you have a very talented team of employees, but current initiative and policies are suited for the Board / Cxx level in cost cutting and dividend payouts - you will lose the people that make that happen if you're not careful.

Pros

Plenty of time and systems to develop skills upon skills, even if you never get to put them to the test. Pretty good benefits, though compensation is pretty stagnant.

Cons

Nothing ever happens, and to the extent that you do anything, you're a little cog in a huge machine.

Advice to Senior Management

Act hungrier. Remake the company in the model of 2,000 startups.

Pros

HP DNA from Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard -- it is still pervasive within the company and has been the hallmark of what makes a company a great place to work for.
Globally diverse which has helped in today's economy.
Cool products and great people.
Good senior management.

Cons

Growth has been slow lately (steady but slow) so there are fewer promotional opportunities -- probably not unique to HP.

Advice to Senior Management

The biggest challenges in our next few years involve:
1. growing new product segments (innovation)
2. growing global development centers (getting better at working with global teams)
3. managing globally financial turmoil

Pros

There are no good reasons to work here. The benefits are a cut below the standard.

Cons

HR internal marketing to cover up lack of benefits or concern for individual employees. Overhead of management and global decisions that negatively impact productivity.

Advice to Senior Management

Use your engineers to decide what tools and processes are best instead of making the decisions for them. You don't have to use the systems daily and aren't suffering like we are.