Culture Head to Head
Discover how Salesforce and IBM stack up across purpose, values, behaviors, leadership and more—revealing how their distinct cultural profiles shape employee experience and business outcomes.
Industries
Technology
Date:
Apr 2025
Timeframe:
6 years
Expert:
Alastair Whiteley
Salesforce and IBM represent two leading players in the technology industry, each with distinct approaches to innovation, employee engagement, and workplace culture. While Salesforce is recognized for its dynamic, high-growth environment, IBM has a legacy as a global technology powerhouse. This analysis compares the two companies across key cultural behaviors and employee value drivers, shedding light on their strengths and opportunities for improvement as employers.
Culture Insights
Salesforce and IBM each demonstrate notable strengths in their workplace cultures. Salesforce excels in pay and rewards (+47.8%) and learning and development (+30.3%), reflecting its dynamic, growth-focused environment. IBM, on the other hand, outperforms in work-life balance (+22.1%), D&I (+36.7%), and collaboration (+31.2%), showcasing a more stable and inclusive workplace culture.
However, both companies face challenges in agility, career progression, and employee empowerment. For Salesforce, addressing work-life balance and fostering greater inclusivity could complement its strengths in rewards and development. For IBM, improving compensation, agility, and career progression could position it as an even more competitive employer.
Purpose
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Salesforce Purpose - Salesforce scores significantly higher, indicating a strong sense of mission and alignment across teams.
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IBM Purpose - IBM’s low score highlights a significant disconnect between employees and the company’s purpose, signaling an area for improvement.
Work-life Balance
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Salesforce - Enhancing work-life balance could improve satisfaction and retention at Salesforce.
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IBM focuses on maintaining work-life balance compared to Salesforce’s more demanding, high-growth environment.
Empowered
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Salesforce shows strong individual autonomy, allowing for quicker decision-making and innovation.
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IBM employees feel limited autonomy in their roles. IBM scores lower, suggesting a need to decentralize authority and encourage initiative.
Download the full report
Read the full report and see how Salesforce and IBM compare across our Culture Framework.
