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"IBM - from the inside looking out"

Roman Tarnavski, Information Age

17/08/2007 15:56:30

The acronym ascribed to the largest IT employer in the world, as viewed by many of today's university students.

It is my goal in this article to shed some light on what is normally perceived to be a very dreary company.

If you were to ask me six months ago what I thought of IBM as an organisation, then chances are I would have arrived at the above definition. Let me contextualise that as a fourth year university student: the extent of my previous contact with IBM as a brand and company amounted to media perception and career days.

This led me to the naive conclusion that the organisation's vibrancy amounted to little more than the dull red, green and blue etched at the bottom of my ThinkPad...

An ACS work integrated learning scholarship with IBM shattered my preconceptions by allowing me to experience the everyday interactions inside the cogs of the international machine. This has given me new-founded respect for the company, particularly in realising that these cogs are highly valued individuals which are the foundations of a strong, progressive organisation.

It was not until my first day that I appreciated just how many people from diverse skills as well as cultural backgrounds contribute to IBM. It is encouraging to see a company celebrate ethnicity, with a simple gesture of every members' national flag proudly displayed on the meeting room wall; as well as gender equality, particularly for an IT organisation.

To my surprise, IBM as a multinational organisation takes education and students' personal development seriously. Consequently, I am always encouraged to consider my university commitments first, IBM second. This flexibility is highly appreciated and valued by students, especially me; in my previous experience working for other multinationals, I have found that most only consider the short-term benefit of the company. It is refreshing to find an organisation that has shifted the paradigm back to a long-term focus by valuing the commitment of workers beyond the office walls.

Within the office, IBM also values leisure time and the interests of its employees. The mentality of "work hard, play hard" is evident with the provision of gaming consoles, basketball, soccer balls and poker sets. I believe this contributes to the proactive environment which fosters innovation.

Smashing my perception of an "old-fashioned, slow-moving organisation", we are encouraged to spend time working on personal technology projects. Fridays are referred to as 'ThinkFriday'; a day on which you are to reflect and innovate. The concept is to come up with ways to improve current processes or to invent something completely new. It is not restricted to roles, just the imagination of employees.

Within any company, communication is the key. So in order to facilitate and link IBMers, an intranet called BlogCentral exists, which is a knowledge pool consisting of blogs/wikis/podcasts and just about everything else. Another new concept within an organisation this size, is the dependence on Sametime, IBM's own Instant Messenger. Not only are you are able to converse with everyone regardless of rank, but are also encouraged to do so.

I found it extremely useful in seeing the availability of a colleague when I needed help - as Sametime will indicate whether they are simply away from their desk, or are in a meeting. It is a breath of fresh air, to see a company maximise the collaborative efforts of its employees as opposed to hinder them.

A strong point at IBM is equality, and it screams loud and clear when you walk in. There are simply no "offices"; it does not matter if you are a university intern or a director. This is of great benefit to the workers and management alike, as not only are you able to interact with directors on an informal, daily basis, but they are immersed in the everyday workings, which allow them to be attuned with their staff. How often have you seen a director of a company that chases down a broken water heater himself? A touch of humility goes a long way.

Of the four other students that also started the ACS WIL Scholarship with me, one has now been hired as a full-time developer, whilst the others have either remained on part-time basis, or accepted graduate positions. Evidently, our impression has changed as we have recognised that IBM is far from the obsolete company we once perceived. Through positive media images and scholarships such as this, I hope that IBM continues to project the real depiction of progressiveness.

[Synonym] IBM Innovative, Brilliant Minds