And another IBM thing...

[susandennis]

One of the dress code comments brought to mind another IBM oddity.  The Clean Desk Policy.  Corporate security was paramount at IBM.  Always.  Not just computer security.  All security.  Every piece of paper carried a classification.  And all but the very lowest classification carried strict rules of handling.  And the lowest classification applied only really to toilet paper and unused letterhead. 

I can't remember all of the classifications but it went from something like For Employees Only to Read and Eat.

When not in the hand of an appropriate human, those papers must be locked away.   You could go pee and leave confidential stuff on your desk but you shouldn't do it too often. 

And, at night, all offices were swept.  Anything with any kind of a classification that was left out, unsecured was confiscated and you were issued a Security Violation.  To get your stuff back, you AND your manager had to physically go to the security management offices.  As I remember it now and explain it, it's shockingly scary and wildly humorous. 

But at the time it was normal and reasonable that those who could not keep a Clean Desk were not IBM material anyway.  In my 15 years, I got one security violation.  I was horrified and humiliated and embarrassed and furious because it was not my fault.  My boss - the head of the entire plant of 5,000 people - was responsible.  He left his speech (that I wrote) on my desk after I had left for the day.  It was clearly marked Confidential.  And I was in clear violation. 

He said that it was my fault for leaving early and he fixed it with the head of security and joked about it for days but still my beautiful spotless record was soiled. 

It's amazing to look back at those days with the years and experience I have now.  In those days, IBM hired you just out of college with the clear intent of taking care of you for life.  The rules were very strict and the culture very ridged and the rewards very nice.  I often wonder what it must be like to work there today with the world so different and the opportunities so great in so many other places. 

I'm sure they still have The Clean Desk Policy but I wonder if they have nightly security sweeps.

Comments

[geordie.livejournal.com]

We had a clean desk policy, but then my company was Britain's nuclear weapon prime contractor, so it was probably reasonable.

[susandennis]

Interesting. I actually never worked for another company who even came close. Microsoft was one of the most lax in terms of security. It always amazed me that they didn't care more.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

The defense industry is all like that. They've given up sending people home for not wearing a tie though. We also used to eat in separate canteens, the senior staff had assigned seats and table service, the industrial staff ate at 12:00 in the main canteen and were encouraged to be gone by 12:30. The main grade staff ate at 12:30 and were encouraged not to talk to the industrial staff. Senior management and visitors had their own separate facilities.

It was anachronistic even at that time. My part of Hunting was based on the part of the Miles Aircraft Company that they acquired when the aircraft production was nationalized as British Aerospace, that's where they got their "officers and men" attitude.

[nezbitthecat.livejournal.com]

Sounds like Grace Brothers.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

Yes, somewhat. But very good at what we did, despite the ludicrous management structure.

i was written up that way once ...

[henare.livejournal.com]

i thought they couldn't possibly be serious until then ...

Re: i was written up that way once ...

[susandennis]

rude awakening... yep.