1.0
Jun 23, 2025
Favoritism by Managers and Toxic Culture in IBM Labs – Especially in z Mainframe
Former employee, less than 1 year
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
1) IBM brand name carries weight in the industry. 2) You can learn if you're proactive and self-motivated. 3) Some technically strong and supportive peers.
Cons
1) Severe manager favoritism — performance doesn't always matter. If you're not in your manager's "good books", you can be sidelined or even let go. 2) Job security is questionable — even high performers have been forced out, while managers bring in their personal references or “near and dear ones”. Job security depends more on relationships than performance. 3) Toxic hierarchy — managers act like bosses, not leaders. Decisions are one-sided and often biased.
