[Poll Opinion] What do you all think about INTEL FOCAL process?
-It's bad when the focal system is too poor to differentiate good vs bad, but it's far worse when the system knowingly protects certain bad players at the expense of good ones._
Here is one opinion. Others?
Time Will Tell
Focal was always a mediocre-at-best way to judge peoples' contributions throughout the year. There was always small-scale bias based on who had the loudest manager or who L1/L2 management liked.
Now they simply moved the corruption up to the top and made it race/gender based instead. I fully believe another large class-action will come out of this once the insanity dies down.
"Now it is being used strictly to layoff whichever group happens to be on the platter per CEO and BoD."
Well said. It is nothing more than planning tool for layoffs. Like an organism that devours itself, this year's successfully and ACT dodgers will be next year's targets.
I did not want to give my opinion. Since there are plenty of others. My opinion will be far worse. ;-)
I hope that INTELers, INTEL HR and INTEL Legal will pass pointer of this thread to lovely INTEL VPs and so precious INTEL BOD. Especially to MR and BK. Since the material here is priceless to be read and analyzed!
I also hope some people will pass pointer to this thread to some online social media, so media can analyze and post this thread on their pages as well. :-)
Thank you,
Time Will Tell
Twenty years ago Focal used to be used in a fair manner to promote those who contributed the most to bottom line. Now it is being used strictly to layoff whichever group happens to be on the platter per CEO and BoD.
My manager did not know what is SSL 4 and it's implications ?
But he is a manager and he has the power to play with focal numbers
Actually they don't see long term productivity
Anyhow I trained my self in technology with intel brand name
Now enjoying in my new company
My manager and I were working on a certain version of the focal for a few iterations. Guess what, my final focal included a bunch of lies to justify SSL4. Those things were never discussed until after focal was in the system. I tried fighting but I thought, do I really want to be here? I started applying for jobs, got offers by the time I got Intel's big layoff package. I am very happy now.
I am not the best engineer nor the best coder, but Intel Focals have helped me succeed at Intel. You just need to know how to game the system. Of course, I may have just been lucky to fool a few managers in my 15 years at Intel, but even when my deception is discovered, I would have had a very good ride and milked Intel for as much as I could.
The FOCAL process doesn't reliably accomplish what it purports to accomplish (i.e. identifying and rewarding poorly, satisfactorily and exceptionally performing employees) and consumes massive resources that could otherwise be spent on higher return activities.
The lack of reliability of FOCAL results in mistrust, cynicism and gaming of the process and the outcomes of the process.
In short, it's worse than useless.
I am amazed at the number of long-time Intel employees who seem to do nothing but complain. Get of your rear end and find a new job. If you can't find a better job, face it, you are just not that good and Intel might be the peak of your so-called career.
@L32kvD0-xew Well if you won't be your bosses fuff3er forget about a career at intel these days.
@L32kvD0-xew Well if you won't be your bosses f------ forget about a career at intel these days.
Was dumbfounded when I was new and first heard how Intel handled focal. HATED IT
@hgt- in other words, whomever is the best butt plug gets the promo and best raises. I have witnessed it personally and been passed over because of it. Not only won't I kiss a $$ I won't even look at it.
Having presided over many a focal I can assure you all it is all about what the big boss wants. They controll everything and at least in my group GM has final say on every promo, raises and firing. Moral, make sure the GM is kept happy and has a good view of view is all that is important!
In 2015 Intel used the focal process to get rid of older workers. I'm surprised there wasn't any lawsuits that come from that layoff. At the time some managers were offering pay raises or stocks at a time Intel was declining in revenue. Intel all of a sudden laid off "Success" workers who were never told they were under performing, but who took a pay raise over stocks. That's when I learned Intel's focal process was rigged and not for the everyday worker.
Company can save time for everyone by abolishing the focal process and giving a flat 1.5℅ raise to 85℅ of the employees. Since everyt focal outcome can be confidentially pre-determined and tweaked by managers, the focal process is nothing more than legal leash with which the employees can hang thselves. The resulting raise is not even worth the umpteen hours of time spent in the write-up, wordsmithy and fine precis writing that managers gruel you through. The entire process is a colossal waste of time and money. It is enforced only to instill a fear of layoff in employees. Managers never had any objective metrics by which they measure you, nor are they required to tell you. Such a system of zero transparency is bound to be corrupt.
My personal opinion is that many of Intel's process such as focal are rigged, faked and just for show. If you're close buddy and in the gang with the higher up, focal can easily be tweaked to your advantage to push you for a promotion. If on the other hand you are not part of the gang and not buddies with the right people, you can work and deliver, but the focal will be stacked against you. Similarly for CoC. If the higher ups want to get rid of you, they can easily dig up some issue and make it into a CoC case against you. However if you are one of the gang, any CoC can easily be "case closed" without any action needed. IT Director who is very close with many of the corporate big boys is one such person, several CoC cases and all "case closed" without any action. Focal, CoC, it all depends on whether you're part of the gang with the higher ups. Focal, its just for show.
Perception is all the matters! The perception of your SLM and GM not real performance, if they think you are good than you will do good. Also helps if you are URM as they desperately looking to promote and URM and TF to leadership and higher grades and will do that at the expensive of higher performaning white, Asian and Indian unless you are same ethnicity of your boss, but making the manager dashboard looks good trumps all!
Current employee here, It is very much like Intel simply doesn't want good software engineer. Experience trumps everything even talent. I was waiting for the new focal process to be announced entire December as told by BK, but no news as of today which gives clear indication of them not changing anything in the already dead focal process. Focal is just a formality wherein folks give 360 feedback just to find that everyone in the team gets the same rating.
No matter how hard you work, nothing is transparent in deducing the focal ratings. I remember someone telling How he had to make an email 3 page big for a task done in mere 10 minutes just to showcase the "Good work" his report did.
This time around, I am thinking of writing nothing in my focal document indicating I did nothing the whole year, I wonder if they will fire me and give me a severance package. I know I am better off without Intel else the trap of RSUs will become so big in the future that I might just stay along.