You may think you’ve never heard of Texas Instruments.
But if your familiar with iconic educational toys like “Speak n Spell“, “Spelling B”, “Little Professor”, and “Speak n Math”, then you know Texas Instruments.
Also, just about every scientific calculator ever used by high school students was made by the company.
But TI does much more than manufacture fun, educational toys.
Founded in 1930, in Dallas, Texas, they design, manufacture, and sell semiconductors, (chips that control the flow of electricity in devices) to industries like automotive, aerospace, industrial, and communication.
Currently, Texas Instruments has 33,000 employees working in 15 sites throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe.
So what’s it like for those employees to work at TI?
According to Glassdoor, it’s pretty good, as they named the company one of the best places to work in 2022.
Fortune magazine agreed, naming it one of the best companies for new hires and veterans in 2022.
Sounds pretty good, right?
Well, we all know that no matter how great a workplace is, no job is perfect.
Read on for the pros and cons of working for Texas Instruments.
Table of Contents
Pros Of Working For Texas Instruments
1. The Way You Work
Many employees state that they enjoy the flexibility and freedom TI gives them to perform their duties.
For many positions, it doesn’t matter how many hours you work, or where you work from, as long as deadlines are reached and project results are top quality.
There is also a lot of freedom to create your own solution and use your own ideas with managers second-guessing and pushing back.
Many departments work in teams and collaborate on projects.
Brainstorming and thinking outside the box is encouraged.
2. Company Culture
A large number of Texas Instruments employees rave about the company’s culture.
The majority say that they feel respected and that their ideas are well received.
They feel valued for their contributions and are treated as integral, intelligent members of a community.
Diversity is welcomed and celebrated at the company, and military veterans are amplified with the company taking advantage of their unique skills.
Texas Instruments hosts several outings throughout the year for employees and their families to help build a sense of community.
These include activities like picnics, BBQS, trips to various performances and local attractions.
3. Benefits
Most employees are happy with the benefits provided by Texas Instruments.
They provide everyone with medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Additionally, employee benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, 12 weeks paid maternity leave, 4 weeks paid paternity leave, matched 401K plan, and disability and life insurance.
4. Perks
Texas Instruments believes in contributing to making life easier for its workers.
It provides many helpful perks, including adoption assistance, stock options, profit sharing, a flexible spending account, and performance bonuses.
They also provide a mothers’ room at each site, discounts on childcare, commuter benefits, and tuition reimbursement.
Any charitable donations any employee makes will also be matched by the company.
Many employees also report that some worksites have gyms and offer free food and food vouchers for the cafeteria.
5. Co-Workers
The employees at Texas Instruments rave about their co-workers.
Many have stated that they are some of the smartest, most creative people they’ve ever encountered.
They are mature, responsible, and take their job seriously.
Others have stated that their fellow employees are there in a pinch, will help you build your skills and knowledge, share their talents and experience, and just be there for you if you need a shoulder.
When former employees are asked what they miss the most, the first thing they may say is, the people.
6. Training
New employees, especially, say that the training they receive at TI is top-notch.
New hires say they feel fully supported and ready to work independently after the mandated training period.
They are also assigned a senior employee to act as a mentor in case any questions or issues arise.
Long-term employees also state that there are plenty of opportunities to continue learning and expanding their skills.
There’s plenty of professional development and independent resources made available to all departments.
7. Diversity And Inclusion
Employees at Texas Instruments appreciate that the company is so welcoming and respectful of people from different communities and backgrounds.
They have a great diversity and inclusion program that not only focuses on race, ethnicity, and gender, but considers people with disabilities and those who serve our country as well.
The company is proud of their employee resource groups, which help promote a sense of belonging and allow for networking and personal interaction within smaller groups.
Cons Of Working For Texas Instruments
1. Salary
Many employees state that the salary at Texas Instruments could be better.
While it’s not terrible, the pay is not comparable to other technology companies of its size.
The average salary for the company’s employees ranges from $69,000 to $130,000 per year.
Some employees say that their workload is worth far more than what they are paid.
2. Poor Work/Life Balance
A big point of contention for some employees is the lack of work/life balance.
There are reports of having to work 50 to 60 hours a week, often beginning early in the morning and going late into the evening.
There’s also the “on call” policy that is not appreciated by workers.
Nobody wants to be tied to their phone and fearful that they could be called into work at any moment.
Many positions also involve 12-hour shifts, which people say is exhausting.
3. Limited Remote Work
During the pandemic, most of TI went remote.
Employees enjoyed this opportunity and wanted it to continue.
However, in the past year, the company has done away with much of its work-from-home positions.
4. No Performance Reviews
Apparently, there are few regularly scheduled performance reviews.
This leads to confusion among employees when it comes to pay raises and bonuses.
With no feedback, employees don’t know what they should continue and what they need to improve.
5. Poor Management
Complaints about management are not uncommon in most companies, and Texas Instruments is no exception.
While some people applaud managers at their offices, there’s a common theme that many are not up to the job.
Most of the complaints revolve around managers not being involved enough, not providing enough direction, and not listening to employees’ suggestions.
6. Challenging Projects
While most people enjoy a challenge at work, some of those at TI state that the projects they are given are impossible to complete within the timeframe they’re given.
Couple this with older equipment and outdated office buildings, this makes tasks even more difficult.
This is part of the reason for longer work hours.
What should be an intellectual challenge and a chance to create, becomes a long, anxiety-filled stress fest.
7. Fast Paced
There are many reports of the work in many departments being extremely fast paced and high volume.
Employees say running around looking for tools, relaying messages, or delivering items is quite common.
In addition, being tied to your desk all day on conference calls or writing correspondence is par for the course.
Certain departments, like the warehouse, require workers to be self-driven and self-motivated.
Long hours on your feet and lack of breaks are also some of the complaints.
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Texas Instruments – Summary Table
| Pros Of Working For Texas Instruments | Cons Of Working For Texas Instruments |
|---|---|
| 1. The Way You Work | 1. Salary |
| 2. Company Culture | 2. Poor Work/Life Balance |
| 3. Benefits | 3. Limited Remote Work |
| 4. Perks | 4. No Performance Reviews |
| 5. Co-Workers | 5. Poor Management |
| 6. Training | 6. Challenging Projects |
| 7. Diversity And Inclusion | 7. Fast Paced |
Should You Work For Texas Instruments?
Overall, Texas Instruments seems to be a great company.
They offer a safe, supportive, and comfortable work environment where employees feel they can voice their opinions and contribute in a positive way to the success of the company.
The benefits and perks are very good and extremely valuable if you have a family or plan on starting one.
Stock options, profit sharing, and bonuses can help make up for the lower salary that is often mentioned.
If you don’t feel comfortable giving up personal time to complete projects at work and often staying 9 to 12 hours, then this might not be the place for you.
However, there’s no denying that Texas Instruments is a great place to get your foot in the door of the tech world.
So, if you’re trying to decide, it might be helpful to make a pro and con list of your own.
