How comfortable is it to work at Microsoft?

A culture of not working overtime has made peers envious. Recently, Microsoft has another super welfare action-working from home.

According to a report by the foreign media The Verge on October 9, Microsoft allows some employees to work freely at home on a regular basis, not exceeding 50% of the working time per week. If the manager approves, you can even work remotely permanently. Microsoft will pay for the work at home for employees who work remotely permanently. It’s okay to work at home for a long time and want to go back to the office. Microsoft has temporary office space available at any time.

Although not everyone in Microsoft can enjoy the benefits of working from home, positions related to hardware labs, data centers, and on-site training need to come to work in the company. But Microsoft's ability to take this step has left many Internet companies beyond the reach.

At the beginning of August this year, a crusade against Huawei and Ali employees who changed to Microsoft after they switched to Microsoft was launched on Douban and Hupu forums. Although it turned out to be an oolong, it actually gave Microsoft a big deal. Advertisements-In the domestic Internet market, 996 has become a blessing, and going to the toilet has become a luxury now. Microsoft is leisurely and never requires employees to work overtime.

In August last year, Microsoft even experimented with a one-month working system of three days off every week and paid leave on Friday in Japan, where the overtime culture is the most serious. Subsequent data showed that this system achieved a win-win situation, with staff working hours reduced by 25.4%, office electricity consumption reduced by 23.1%, and staff productivity increased by 39.9% year-on-year.

Before starting his business, Zhang Yiming went to Microsoft to "steal teachers" and learn about the management of large companies. He chose to leave after half a year. Speaking of his time at Microsoft, he used two words to describe it: boring. "Half-day work, half-day reading, work without many challenges."

Although Zhang Yiming disagrees with Microsoft, Microsoft China has indeed made little progress in recent years, but he unknowingly captured the hearts of a large number of grassroots Internet practitioners. Especially those who have worked in domestic Internet companies before. Several Microsoft programmers said that working at Microsoft makes them happy.

Li Bi: "From the giant Z to Microsoft, get the freedom to play werewolves after get off work."

Working for 5 months at Giant Z and 5 months at Microsoft are completely different concepts, and the work intensity is very different.

The development work of Giant Z is tight and the task is heavy. It feels like there is a whip behind it that is pulling you forward. For 5 months, the day is like a year. There is endless work every day. When I hear the phone ring in the middle of the night, I need to reply to the leadership information as soon as possible. Then take out the computer to handle the business.

After leaving the giant Z at the beginning of this year, I just want to work for foreign Internet companies. Domestic Internet companies have the same problem. The overtime culture of 996 is too serious. Although the salary is high, the hourly salary is not necessarily high.

Compared to domestic Internet companies, working at Microsoft is what I want. Microsoft does not work overtime, is flexible, and commutes at will. It does not matter if the working hours are less than 8 hours a day. There is enough time after get off work to invite colleagues and friends to play the game of werewolf, and the pace of life is much more comfortable.

Like Giant Z, Microsoft also has performance appraisal, but the time is much more relaxed. If Giant Z gives us 1 day to complete the project, Microsoft will give us 2 days, and will not rush you to finish it. There is enough time to perfect the product.

In my opinion, the high work intensity of domestic Internet companies does not mean that I can grow rapidly. In the three years since I graduated with a master’s degree, I’ve been with 3 companies. Microsoft has the best technical capabilities. The most indispensable thing in each department is the great technology. The company has taken the initiative to let us improve ourselves by holding internal technology sharing sessions and training sessions. I also read and study when I have time. In such a comfortable environment, progress will be faster.

At the beginning of this year, I saw a data that the average age of employees in 19 domestic Internet companies is 29.6 years old, and the average age of employees in Byte and Pinduoduo is 27 years old, which is really scary. I haven't seen the average age of Microsoft employees, but in Microsoft Suzhou where I work, there are many middle-aged programmers around me. Most of them are not leaders or senior management, and they don't see much anxiety. Working with them, I can feel that my anxiety is not as heavy as before.

Li Fan: "After I arrived at Microsoft, I felt that I was straightening my back and working."

I graduated my first job at the giant T, and did front-end development of TO B business for nearly 3 years. In fact, when I was in the second year, I wanted to leave. It’s not that I’m afraid of high work intensity. I was also “struggling” in the early days. Because I didn’t graduate from a computer science class, I relied on self-study programming during graduate school to enter Tencent. I don’t think I can hold back the team.

In those two years, after I got off work at 10 o'clock in the evening, I would read the book until 1 o'clock in the morning. In addition, I love to study and my learning ability is not weak. I will soon become the technical backbone of the department. In the group, the group leader will let me.

When I first entered the giant T, I didn't expect that I would want to leave so soon. Giant T is a very good company, but it does not mean that all departments are good. In our department, the technical level of many people is not as good as the average outside. After the counterattack became the backbone, I didn't want to work hard anymore, it felt meaningless, too late, and people would develop deformities over time. It's not that I can't eat, I can't take my life to earn overtime pay.

After a year has passed, the technical ability of my colleagues has not surpassed me. It is not that I am smarter than them. The work intensity of domestic Internet programmers is generally high, and there are few people who have the energy to study after get off work. The technology is updated every day. If you don't study, you are going back. After working in the company for a few years, at least half of the ten people will experience a technical retrogression.

At the beginning of this year, I was 28 years old and didn't dare to waste any more time. I took a three-month break after leaving the giant T. Most of the time I was thinking, where should I go to work next?

During the interview, I went to Byte and Pinduoduo and got offers. But I don't want to go. Domestic Internet companies are the same. For 10 years, 996, when I am 35 years old, I will kick me ruthlessly.

I will choose to apply for Microsoft. One is that Microsoft does not work overtime, and the other is that Microsoft has a high level of technology, language, framework, service and other technologies are self-contained, and there are many great gods in it that are worth learning. Although in my mind, the world's top technology is Google, but Microsoft's technology is definitely better than domestic Internet companies.

It was actually quite troublesome for me to come in for an interview. I went through 5 rounds before entering the company. Like the mentality of entering the giant T, I am still afraid of dragging my feet this time.

From the giant T to Microsoft, I need to adapt to the adjustment of technical habits and the pressure brought about by technology expansion. Microsoft has many technologies that can’t find information outside, and the products are complex. For me, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Fortunately, compared to the giant T, Microsoft works more easily. It can learn on the job and has enough time to improve itself after get off work. The company will also give us enough time to cultivate hobbies, which domestic Internet companies cannot provide. It was only after I arrived at Microsoft that I felt that I was straightening my back and working.

It says on my social page: I don’t think about changing jobs. But no one can predict the future. I will definitely leave Microsoft, but I don't know when, just like when I joined the giant T, I didn't expect to leave so soon.

Wei Lin: "Microsoft is a good place for the elderly"

The time I left Microsoft was a bit sensitive. At that time, Microsoft headquarters was at a critical moment of the CEO handover. Several senior executives in Microsoft China had resigned. My department was dismantled due to internal political reasons, which made my work direction unstable and had to leave. Google.

Looking back, in the past 6 years, from Microsoft to Google, and now to start a business, it is still the most comfortable job for Microsoft. I personally think that Microsoft is a good place for the elderly. The income may be lower than that of some domestic Internet companies, but as long as you don't spend money lavishly, you can live a decent life in Beijing.

Microsoft is a typical large international company. Compared with domestic Internet companies, the working environment is much more comfortable. The company respects work-life balance, and employees can even bring pets to work.

I was working in the office building of Microsoft Beijing Zhongguancun Fourth Ring Road. It was warm in winter and cool in summer. There are more than 20 offices on each floor, no need to grab or make an appointment, you can have a meeting anytime, anywhere. There are daily fruit and beverage snacks on each floor, table tennis tables, pool tables, and gyms in the building. The canteen is also rich in food, Chinese restaurants, western restaurants and coffee shops cater for all tastes. There are many restaurants, cinemas, and shopping malls around the company. The subway station is a ten-minute walk away, and the transportation is very convenient.

Compared with domestic companies, Microsoft, as an established giant, has top-notch welfare systems. In addition to 15 days of full pay annual leave, there are 15 days of full pay sick leave. Once the leave is proposed, the project can be coordinated no matter how busy it is. It’s not terrible to be sick. Microsoft employees have commercial medical insurance. They don’t need to spend extra money to go to the hospital to see a doctor.

The logistics support department took care of us very well. There are gift cards during the New Year's and holidays. Anything happening in the company can be notified by email as soon as possible, so that we can purchase the latest technology products for us as soon as possible. When I first joined the company, professional service personnel were assigned to help small things like system reinstallation and driver upgrade.

When it comes to work, Microsoft emphasizes creativity and rarely meets leaders who speak up. Other groups are not clear about it. In my group, the leader does not interfere with our work too much and discusses if necessary. Even if there is a quarrel at work, there is no need to worry about being caught Wear small shoes. Usually work is not busy, the time after get off work is my own, and the leaders are conscious and will not disturb us during the off work time.

Coupled with the high quality of the staff, everyone gets along very well. People who can enter Microsoft are basically top-notch talents. I rarely see office struggles. It may also be because we are programmers, relying on code to communicate, relying on strength to speak, and there is no crooked mind.

Also because Microsoft's working conditions are so comfortable, for people with career ambitions, Microsoft is not suitable for staying long.

In my personal experience, Microsoft's work is vertical, and everyone's work content is relatively limited, like a screw. After staying for 4 or 5 years, I switched to a new company and it was difficult to adapt to the rhythm. In addition, many of Microsoft's tools are complex, and the technology and product components are relatively closed. Once you quit, you may have to learn new technologies again. For many older programmers, it is really difficult to learn technology from scratch.

Therefore, at Microsoft, with the exception of individual technological frontier groups, many groups have little exposure to new technologies. It is difficult for employees to get out of Microsoft after staying in the company for a long time.

Chen Li: I am very happy at Microsoft. Going to work at Microsoft headquarters can triple my income.

Microsoft is my first job. Before graduating in July this year, I had already received an offer from Microsoft. I came here specifically for Microsoft. I used to do internships at several major Internet companies in China. I saw someone sharing the life of an intern at Microsoft headquarters on the Internet. It’s a world with me.

I was so tired that I broke down every day, and I got off work at 10 or 11 in the evening. I felt that my life was filled with get off work and I was particularly anxious. They can arrive at the company at 11 am and 12 am, and leave work at 5 pm, so they have time to learn and relax. They also have internship salaries, housing subsidies, car rental subsidies, and occasionally receive free tickets and free gym membership cards.

So when I graduated and looked for a job, I rushed to a foreign company to invest in my resume, and entered the Microsoft R&D center in Suzhou as I wish.

The overall job at Microsoft is easy. Although different project groups have different strengths, product group technologies such as Office and windows are already at the top of the world. Products are updated every few years. The daily work of project team employees is maintenance, which is much easier than us.

The technology of my working group is relatively new, and it is more complicated and arduous than other groups, but I can say with certainty that my current job is far less tiring than the previous internship at a large factory. Moreover, Microsoft arranges relatively loose deadlines for each project, leaving enough time for us to deal with each other, and there is almost no performance pressure and anxiety.

My biggest goal now is to work at Microsoft headquarters. As far as I know, after joining Microsoft China for a full year, I have the opportunity to go to the Microsoft headquarters as long as there is a manager over there willing to ask. I plan to work at Microsoft headquarters after the new crown epidemic has passed.

My ideals are not too lofty. Going to Microsoft is a technology to settle down. As a newcomer in the workplace, you have to learn everything. Go to the headquarters to learn the most cutting-edge technology and get to know the most powerful technology gods.

The second is for money. I heard from Microsoft’s predecessors that the work intensity in China is the same as in the United States, but the average income level of headquarter jobs is much higher. American college graduates who graduate to Microsoft will basically be more than one million yuan after tax. , Deducting taxes, the income is at least three times the current amount.

Moreover, the Microsoft headquarters is not like the scattered R&D centers in various parts of China. The supporting facilities are not so complete. As far as I know, the headquarters has 125 buildings and more than 40,000 employees have independent offices. There are sports fields, restaurants, cafes, libraries, etc. There are everything for life service facilities. The employee shop at the headquarters is much cheaper for employees to buy Microsoft products.

So far, Microsoft is the best company I have ever met, and I will not leave Microsoft until I have a better job opportunity.

(Li Fan, Li Bi, Wei Lin, Chen Li is a pseudonym)

No articles from the public: letters list (ID: wujicaijing), Author: Jiang Xiaoting, Editor: Ma Yue.