- Majority of Sr leaders are still too connected with Micron's past DRAM (commodity) mindset and don't have what it takes to move the company forward as a leader with a broader memory portfolio. There's a wide gap between the Executive team (setting direction/strategy) and lower level management/employees (who want to help move the company forward). Middle managers are not empowered or lack the experience to know how to make changes. All they know is DRAM (commodity) and were promoted based on this. As a result you get an "inbred" mentality with little room for change.
- When working in Boise, there are no other Semiconductor employment options, and Micron treats you accordingly. They have very few competitive employee retention policies and HR is almost non-existent. Some examples:
- Managers preventing employees from moving to other "better" job openings within Micron for 3 months to 6 months, or even outright refusal. (if this was a policy in the bay area all "capable" people would leave the company to go somewhere else rather than being held captive). This is especially hard when you are hired in as a masters/PhD into an "entry level" position and find an opportunity that will allow you to grow, but cannot move and may lose the position.
- No process for "dismissing" employees. A manager can decide they want you out without any documentation/justification. This leads to "personal vendettas" being acted on which creates an environment of fear for those left behind. One of the other reviewers on this site described the environment as "draconian"...very fitting.
- The company is losing money which reinforces the "entrenchment" mindset I described above (going back to the "commodity" world). It's not clear they will ever transform themselves into more than what they were.