Dear managers: Why are you still at Intel?

I am just wondering why any of the managers are still managers at Intel. I mean, everyone I know is moaning about ACT and about how the people and the managers were screwed over and about how Focal is gearing up for another round of redundancies, and so on.

But for some reason, all those people still stay at Intel. They don't stand up to the system, they keep executing the demanded IR/SSL distributions, knowing full well that the IRs and SSL5s are leading to layoffs.

Why?

I think anyone with a conscience would have left already. That's not even a matter of debate. If you are a person with actual empathy for other people, then you can't be a manager at Intel. So I can only assume that the remaining managers are emotionless robots who will execute whatever upper management tells them.

So dear managers, what do you think, why are you still at Intel? Is your pay so good that it allows you to turn off your conscience? Or are you simply not capable of finding a better job? Have you realized that you have reached the end of your career and that no other company will accept you? Do you enjoy a broken system where managers are rarely at risk of being hit by an IR and where managers can give good ratings to employees who gave them nice recognitions during the year?

When you became managers, did you have some dreams of developing people through long-term coaching and grooming? Did you wish to establish trust relationships with your teams? Did you think you could use modern management concepts to get your team to perform well without the need for pressure and fear?

When did you give up those dreams? And what replaced them? Your salary? Your SSL?

Do you enjoy watching your employees beg you for difficult tasks to get an EE or SSL2 or to at least escape an IR and SSL5? Does it give you a feeling of power when your employees will do anything out of fear for losing their jobs? Is that what you enjoy about your job? That the Intel system lets you rule through fear? Or do you delude yourself into thinking that there is still anything but fear that is motivating your people?

What is it, dear managers? What makes you stick around at Intel? Your salary? Your lack of a conscience? Your delusions? Or your own fears?

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14 replies (most recent on top)

@3wzv - you nailed it. This is the fundamental flaw of the whole forced-distribution-personnel-management system. The illusion is meritocracy -> the reality is mediocrity. Lazy and shortsighted executives, disillusioned and toxic management, and worthless gestapo HR. Sad part is that other companies adopt the practice because - "GE and Intel do it this way"

What a toxic fcked up environment Intel has become. Hunger Games sh-t.

The other deceptive practice of these managers is to sandbag their headcounts in anticipation of firings. They know well beforehand who their sacrificial bulls are. Another silent crime is to rehire every year after firing good employees in the name of meeting the distribution. Pity the toxic lives of these people.

I enjoy the games. Its easy money for doing next to no real work. Ops manager and ta do most of managing for me. All i have to do is send a few lambs to the wolves each year. That and nod my head at everything my boss says.

Yep, can't beat the pay+bonuses = $200k+ per year.

Great money, get to yell at my reports and than skim money off the focal budget for my larger than average raises, can't find a better company to be a manager. Oh the business class travel is nice as is the mileage and hotel perks.

why stay? simple: continue making 6-figure salary + profit sharing to support family, pay mortgage, and this is key: without having to relocate and uproot family/kids from school, etc.

Maybe some people actually enjoy their work as a manager ; they're in a position that is good for their career, they perform well where they're at. They understand the products they're working on and provide Intel with a net benefit worth their salary.

As well, most of the job openings are for IC, and not M. Even at Intel, they're mostly looking for IC talent.

wherever the hell are these useless managers going to go? you've got intel-only relevent skills that are useless outside, you make over 200k a year, sabbaticals to look forward to, and keeping that chip on their shoulders. Conscience ain't gonna pay your mortgage or kids college tuition, son!

LOL who and what are you writing this post for? Out of the goodness of your heart?

The pay is better than you'll find in a lot of places. Especially in Oregon or Arizona in the US. More so worldwide. Question is why mgrs in Santa Clara stay?

Managers at Intel are no good outside. That's why they stay. In Intel they have safety in numbers.

Time to own your own business....mid-career execs are not going to be in demand anywhere

all the good managers i know who have some kind of personal integrity have either already left or are very actively looking for a new job. i think it is not a matter of not being able to find a new job. i think a lot of managers are just taking their time looking for the best new job they can find.

Thread regarding Intel Corp. layoffs

Dear managers: Why are you still at Intel?

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