IBM Reviews in Melbourne, Australia Area

Pros

Many opportunities for women who have families and are not flexible with hours.

Cons

Sometimes too old fashioned in thinking.

Advice to Senior Management

Have more junior staff involved in planning and decision making as they can bring new thoughts and ideas not previously explored.

Pros

Large company
Looks good on CV
Tools are well implemented e.g.. remote access

Cons

Work life balance doesn't exist for Managers in IBM. Level 1 Managers are glorified admin people expected to run spreadsheets and statistics rather than spend time managing their staff.
IBM treat their staff as a number, no flexibility in their work conditions, if it doesn't fit policy then it is not allowed.

Advice to Senior Management

Go back to basics. You suggested we read "elephants can dance" go and read it yourselves and go back to that way of doing business. Better still get the book by Bill and Dave titled "The HP Way" and implement it, you will have a much more sustainable workforce than you have today.

Pros

Get to implement the latest tech
The odd overseas trip
The work is very varied and technically very interesting.

Cons

Poor pay as compared to the competition
Commissions are poor
Too many spreadsheet drivers and checkers who check the checkers !

Advice to Senior Management

Look beyond the end of next quarter
IBM is at risk of being seen as a cheap and nasty company to work in. We can do better.

Pros

Lots of great blokes in the organization.

Cons

It is a sales organization at the end of the day.

Advice to Senior Management

Take the entire team along with you. Keep them abreast of all teh happenings and they need to know that they are not a simple cog in a big machinery.

Pros

business analyst on large scale enterprise applciations doing PM, BA, process improvement, stake holder manaagement and other stuff like that

Cons

management do not have any visiility of staff members when workign remotely and hbusiness analyst on large scale enterprise applciations doing PM, BA, process improvement, stake holder manaagement and other stuff like that

Advice to Senior Management

business analyst on large scale enterprise applciations doing PM, BA, process improvement, stake holder manaagement and other stuff like thatalskdj

Pros

Flexibility
Trusted brand - opens doors
Work/Life balance

Cons

Pay is below market value and it's very difficult to get salary increase
Management don't listen - or don't want to listen. They're too busy with their heads buried in spreadsheets rather then supporting and coaching their reps who are on the ground, dealing with customer situations every day.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employee's and support people managers to do exactly that-coach, develop & mentor their people...

Pros

Great place to work in IBM

Cons

slow progress and decision making delay

Advice to Senior Management

introduce new schemes for employees

Pros

Great reputation. Training Opportunities. Large complex projects.

Cons

Loads of hours for competent staff. You need to cover for a lot of incompetence. The better you are the more you will be asked to do, for no extra reward.
Performance bonus process very ambiguous.

Advice to Senior Management

Identify and reward high performers. Remove dead wood. Coach and train potential leaders.

Pros

Wide range of job roles. Some nice and very smary people at the company. Good to have on your resume!

Cons

thick management, too many people sitting around. Not enough doers. Have a plan to keep long time employees rather than using the place as a body shop

Advice to Senior Management

listen to employees. Dont just hide behind your computer screens. Get out there and really know your employees.

Pros

Big Clients and challenging oppurtunities

Cons

Managers tend to think that technical level people are low level technicians
No career prospects for technical staff
IBM experience sought for internal jobs regardless of work experience outside IBM

Advice to Senior Management

Weigh technical staff according to their qualification and experience
Put a promotion plan for technical staff