Top 10 Best and Worst Company Practice

Came across this during the noon break.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/04/0409_best_mngt/index_01.htm?chan=home+page+slideshows

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/04/0409_worst_mgt/index_01.htm

Think it would be fun to Rank Fuji Xerox and Intel against the benchmark

It's only something seen from the angle of an intern.

Let's start with the bad stuff.

Top 10 worst practices

1. Forced Ranking Systems

These are a pox on corporate leadership ideals. They're arbitrary and work against efforts to encourage teamwork and build morale.

Fuji Xerox: 2 reviews in a year, however the different between rasie of salary is slight

Intel: Focal at fiscal year end. Everybody's striving for a good review. HR handles tons of issues and cases during this period of the year.

None of these two companies seem to have a forced ranking system.

2. Stealing Miles

If my tush is in an airline seat 30,000 feet above the ground (or even worse, sitting on a runway for 11 hours), I deserve every frequent-flier mile those trips earn. Companies who steal their employees' frequent-flier miles do not deserve us as employees or as customers. Shame on them!

None of the two has this practice. I've heard some story that happend the other way around in Intel.

3. Love Contracts

Because they couldn't come up with a more intelligent way to combat sexual-harassment charges, a few bone-headed companies have established "love contracts," which they expect employees involved in romantic relationships with one another to sign. That's just goofy! We should be talking with employees and managers about appropriate boundaries and making it easy to report inappropriate behavior—not shoving contracts in their faces.

Haven't heard about this kind of contracts in neither companies.

But heard some rumors about sexual-harassment in Intel. And saw something REALLY disgesting there too.

4. Anti-Moonlighting Policies

I believe that we shouldn't compete with our employers. If I design kids' clothing for you, I shouldn't have my own kids-clothing design company on the side. But anti-moonlighting policies go further, preventing office employees from tending bar for a few bucks on Friday night or singing Ave Maria at a wedding for a fee. That's an outrage. Companies should manage the work we perform for them, not our free time.

BPX of Intel forbidden employees to take any kind of moonlight that may potentially undermind the company's business. I can't remember if it's possible to do something out of the company's biz scope. But I know people start small biz like cafes & bars in their spare time.

The contract I signed with FX states very clear that I can NOT serve any third party during my stay in Japan. And regular employees can do anything as moonlight enless the company approves.

5. Salary Verification Requirements

Let me get this straight: You expect me to trust that you will provide a great work environment and the training I need and generally live up to what you promised me at the interview, but you don't trust me to faithfully report what I earned last year? Employees who demand proof of past earnings (in the form of last year's W-2) should hire the second-rate employees they deserve, not folks like you.

I heard that Intel has this in China. But it seems like most of the companies there have this practice. However, people don't seem to care about this that much.

In FX, I haven't heard about this.

6."Stitch-level" Dress Code Policies

Every employee should be made aware that your company expects professional attire in the workplace. No argument there. But overly detailed dress-code policies that delve into fashion terms (peplums and flounces) are an insult to intelligent adults. HR people should stay out of our closets and hire only people who wouldn't dream of dressing inappropriately for work.

No. Not this kinda strict in neither two places.

But in FX, whenever you make a biz trip to the headquater, no matter what kind of job you do, you have to wear suit. Maybe this is the Japanese biz practice. And other Japanese companies have the same practice.

7.Outsourced Employee Relations

Outsourcing saves money, so I can't get too worked up when a company outsources dental plan administration, for example. But too many employers have outsourced employee relations so that when you have a problem with your manager, you have to call 1-800-I-Have-A-Problem-With-My-Manager. Employee relations is an on-site function, whether it's a part-time assignment of the boss's assistant (properly trained) or the responsibility of a roving HR rep. Nothing good can come of doing otherwise.

For every biz group in Intel there's a seasoned HR biz partner working on the on-site HR issues.

At FX, this is not outsourced neither. Though people here are so friendly to each other. There are rarely HR issues. I don't know if this is good for the growth of the company. Anyway, corporate culture here.

8. Radio Silent Recruiting

I've written about the cold shoulder that many employers give job seekers. Do companies think that these folks don't buy products and services, too? One of the most obnoxious developments of the past 10 years is the horrendous way employers treat those looking for work. One hopes that the wheel of karma will turn quickly enough to set these companies straight.

I don't know. Since I got both offers.

However, with more than half of the market share in Computer chip and High End printing biz, it's really hard to turn away from these even if you got a cold shoulder.

9.Internet Snooping Programs

In today's work environment, online activity is what personal phone calls were 20 years ago: a fact of life. Everyone indulges a little bit, and companies act like they're horrified (even though managers do the same thing). Internet snooping programs that track an employee's every keystroke and visit to eBay send the message: "We managers can't manage your results, so we'll manage your activities instead." If a great employee spends 20 minutes a day recharging his batteries browsing blogs, good for him or her. Maybe that's what makes that employee a star.

One thing really weired at Intel is that it blocks Google while leaving other sites like personal blogs wild open.

At FX, there are strict Internet snooping regulations. Besides porn sites and other generally banned websites, it also blocks forums, blogs.

10. Golden Parachutes for Nonperformance

I don't mind if my CEO earns 400 times as much as I do if he does his job! Shareholders should push back against parachutes that generously reward the failures of departing leaders.

I'm not sure about this. But my feeling is that Intel is tougher on this than FX.

At FX maybe it's easier to plod away.

Now comes the good stories

1. Employee-Referral Bonuses

The company gets a new employee with no recruiting fee, your friend gets a new job, and you get a check and the gratitude of both your friend and employer. What's not to like?

Intel: Yes

FX: not sure

2. Employee-Driven Transfer Policies

I'm all in favor of policies that let you apply for jobs posted internally without your manager's approval. After all, different folks do better or worse work for different managers. And smart companies would rather have people stay in the organization than move to another employer because a self-interested manager blocked a requested transfer.

Intel: Not clear policies made

FX: Don't know

3.Van Pools and Subsidized Transportation to Work

Being green is where it's at, and companies that help underwrite employees' public transportation costs or provide van pools are way ahead of the curve.

Intel: Flexible Working Hours and Work From Home Policy

FX: Core Time and Flexible Working Hours

4. Town Hall Meetings

Companies that value employee input make a point of sharing news with their team members, virtually or face-to-face. Town hall meetings with leadership are a terrific way to generate ideas and get employee buy-in on new initiatives.

Intel: Bi-weekly BUM

FX: There are Biz Update. But since it's all in Japanese, I can't quite understand.

5.Ethics Hotline

All employers talk about ethics, but the ones who provide a way to report misdeeds are the ones most likely to catch problems. Confidential ethics hotlines allow employees to anonymously report bad actors without taking their chances on the dreaded "chain of command."

Don't know for neither places

6.Distance Learning

We've got the Internet, let's use it! Distance-learning programs let employees gain new skills, right at their desktops.

Intel: You can access a uncountable learning resources through Intel Library, Books 24/7 and a wide range of online and classroom training courses at Intel University.

FX: Limited and somehow boring training programs and no online resources. There is a small library on the 3rd floor of the research center, paper materials are not up to date.

7.Company-Sponsored Alumni Groups

Back in the day, a bunch of former Data General employees started an alumni group called the Grey Eagles, and the idea has caught on. Now, smart companies like McKinsey sponsor their own alumni groups, sending the message: "If you worked for us in the past, we would love to keep in touch in the future." More than a source of job leads and connections, alumni groups help their sponsor organizations hire and retain talented folks.

Neither has.

8. Corporate Social Responsibility Programs

Big companies have done a lot of damage over the years, but some of them are doing great things for the world today through CSR programs. Whether banding their employees together to build houses or providing education for their vendors' employees in developing nations, socially aware employers are making a tremendous difference around the world.

Intel has more.

9. Matching Contributions

Some employers match their employees' personal donations to the arts and to charitable organizations. Others match their employees' 401(k) contributions. Matching donations aren't giveaways. They say to employees: "If you're in, we're in."

Neither has

10. Intranets

Want to know how the company's stock is faring or how the company softball team is doing? Check the company intranet. These sites promote benefits, share job openings, and generally keep employees informed, even when they're working from home or on the road.

Intel is really making use of the intranet with it's ubiquitous use of Sharepoint site, internal blogs, Circuit. And you can access the company network from outside via VPN.

FX has really strict regulations on the intranet and emphasis the data sercurity alot. It's overreaching! And the internal homepage DocuSqure does not seem to be appealing.