Pros

had a very strong technical leadership which was given up now it seems like focus is on playing catchup with competition

Cons

buddy system favouring promotions. middle management out of sync with reality; too many management levels; big disconnect between future direction and current plans

Advice to Senior Management

middle management level very weak and lack clairvoyance

Pros

i365 has gone through some growing pains in the last 18 months, but it seems to be going in the right direction. The current leadership team has a clear vision, at least, and everyone seems to be excited about it.

Cons

Because a lot of the heads came from Seagate and other similarly sized companies, the level of beauracracy for a company this size is stifling.

Advice to Senior Management

i365 is going in the right direction, but there needs to be better communication between departments.

Pros

seagate's a good place to work. if you're capable and love a long challenging day, it's the place to be. a lot of grind, but people are nice.

Cons

sometimes it takes too long for management to realize that some people are not cut out to do what they are assigned to do. unfortunately, it takes a major downturn to RIF the low performers. things could get done more efficiently from top to bottom

Advice to Senior Management

the company needs to become a more efficiently run company. not just in dire times, but also when times are good

Pros

Seagate is the largest manufacturer of hard discs. If you would like to be involved in developing cutting edge technology seagate is a good place to work for. One of the few companies where there is still significant investment in Research and Development areas. Best talent pool.

Cons

Highly stressful and competitive environment. Heavily layered. Too many management levels. No work life balance. No coordination between different organizations. Redundency at all levels. Promotion of self agendas rather than a common vision.

Advice to Senior Management

Need to cut down management chains further and improve communication between different organizations. Reduce redundency. Promote a common vision throughout the organization

Pros

A single-focus company (storage) allows for depth of understanding across many functions and disciplines. The multinational nature of the company provides an excellent training ground for many career tracks, from production expansion to marketing to pure R&D.

In many instances employees from individual contributors to vice presidents regularly meet and interact to provide background for decisions. Within reason, most ideas are given hearing and evaluation.

Compensation is good, somewhat higher than companies that offer stronger retirement plans. Vacation is adequate after a few years of service.

Cons

High level of involvement of senior managers (VP to Senior Director) in day-to-day activities gives a feeling of micromanagement. Managers are expected to know, in detail, every aspect of their employee's work as if they could do the job, also fostering overmanagement.

Sensitivities to legal risk have made information flow from top to bottom almost non-existent except for canned, formal presentations with little 'body'. This was especially evident during the run-up to the RIFs in November 08, January 09, and May 09.

Work hours are long at times, and those times are frequent.

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate appropriately in both directions: If you are going to manage tightly, communicate far more openly. If you are going to be distant in communications, then be distant in management style (delegating down to lower levels).

Realize that the stresses binge-and-purge employment put on staff affect home life and work-life balance. Do this less drastically.

Pros

Get to work on latest technologies. Recognized for a job well done.

Cons

Every once in 4-5 years there is an RIF.

Advice to Senior Management

Plan for products and prices so that you do not hurt emplyees by frequent RIFs.

Pros

Very competent organization, very capable employees. Very well defined processes that ensure everyone is moving according to the same playbook. Very competent techical staff. Efficient global organization with competent individuals in every region. Business class airfare for international flights.

Cons

Highly structured, static product offerings. Little opporunity to bring innovative products to market. Somewhat top-heavy, upper management types get all the cutting edge projects.

Advice to Senior Management

Need more opportunities to retain younger, ambitious professionals.

Pros

In Santa Cruz County, CA, Seagate is a large corporate employer with decent benefits; and a definite plus was not driving over the hill to work. The non-management people, in general, are dedicated and loyal employees, and work together well. Many of the managers also work together well and support their work groups. Pay rates are competitive with the rates for large companies over the hill in Silicon Valley. Upgrades to the Scotts Valley site included building of an on-site Cafe/restaurant which is much enjoyed by all as the food is good and is reasonably priced. Seagate also works with local non-profit organizations and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and provides opportunities for employees to help support charitable organizations. Seagate also donates money to these organizations.

Cons

The Scotts Valley site is a corporate business location and as such the job titles most unaffected by economic downturns are Account Management (supports Sales and Customers), Order Management (processes Customer Orders), and Upper Management (work with Customers, Sales, Strategic Planning). During the recent downturn all other departments were subject to RIF (Reduction in Force). The Disc Drive Industry is very immediately affected by downturns and the survivors are the companies that are running a 'tight ship'. Seagate has been Vice President (top management) heavy for a very long time. A top heavy management structure does not respond as quickly to economic conditions in the market place in the way a more lean organization is able to do.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't hire your buddies. Don't depend so much on the charts and graphs. Know what is happening by talking to the people getting the work done, not the manager of their manager's manager.

Pros

Most of the people are good folks. IT is a huge speedbump and full of red tape. Overall a Good company to work for. Watkins drove it into the ground with low margins but hopefully changes will come soon.

I think the Pay was good

Cons

There are way too many people in management positions. So many directors and VPs which isn't bad until bonus time. The company needs a restructuring with more worker bees and less fat at the top. Also drop that Eco Challenge. Millions of dollars in out going expenses and a huge gap in productivity while this goes on. DROP IT AND GET BACK TO WORK! Go to New Zealand on your vacation not during work time.

Advice to Senior Management

cut the fat. Drop the customers that are not bringing in the approved margin on drives. focus on profit

Pros

A good place to gain experience. A no nonsense culture -- there is the usual big company bureaucracy but it is kept to a minimum where possible. Throughout all levels of management there is a healthy respect for people and their lives.

Cons

The disk drive industry is very tough and commodity based. Stock will never be valued by the market. In tough times, the company will not hesitate to get rid of you. For the past 5 years there has been very little opportunity for career growth and promotions.

Advice to Senior Management

There needs to be more dimensions to your leadership other than just pounding your fist quarterly and saying "we have just got to execute, the opportunities are there, we just have to execute."