Pros
Cultural diversity is there and most employees are amazing to work with. I’ve met so many wonderful people over the years that I still talk to today! Eek, here we go: Many holding higher titles, minus the original startup team, are related to top leaders, friends of top leaders or their relatives, or friends of coworkers (one big circle). If you know top leadership or practice the same religion, then apply because you will get hired regardless of qualifications. They even create job titles/positions if you fall into the categories just mentioned, as was done previously. If you know a standard employee, chances on getting a job are still good. The original executive team is just now (12 years into the business) **attempting** to go in a more professional direction as previous strategies failed causing high turnover (issue still not fully rectified). The company does try to compensate fairly and does offer some benefits. This used to be a company focused on work-life balance, family and accommodating hardworking, loyal employees. This is no longer the case unless you are related or a long term employee from the original start-up team. In order to **attempt** to keep systems more fair, the new strategy is to treat everyone as an employee number with an overly positive “stepford wife” persona. Processes have finally become more organized and it shows in the quality of work produced by the laboratory team. The standards of quality are extremely high and results reported can be trusted by external clients. The different tasks/positions I worked in were enjoyable for the most part. As a long term employee, there was more that I benefited from than the average new hire. So for me this opportunity was beneficial and pros outweighed the cons. Random lunches are given to celebrate new hires and you are allowed an hour lunch.
Cons
Certain genders and religious affiliations are preferred and it becomes blatantly obvious the longer you are employed. Some management are in their destined places for their loyalty vs their skills, i.e. manager(s) with NO degree, zero social skills, and arrogant, yet hold a significant position. Many standard employees have more common sense than their managing counterparts. The work environment has a tendency to feel hostile, unappreciative, overworked and condescending depending on the department you work in. Most department employees give sacrificially with no appreciation other than a star sticker that says “great job” (if even that). Top leadership have pushed the management team to show appreciation to subordinates (employees leave managers, not the job) yet it’s clear advice isn’t followed. Even with recent organizational changes, lots of irreversible emotional, verbal and unethical behavior has damaged too many and it’s clear by the non-management reviews written on this site. Anything over 2 stars was written by management as advised to do in senior meetings. Believe the compilation of negative reviews as there won’t be enough space to share all the unbelievable experiences witnessed of verbal assault, crying, screaming and abusive bullying towards loyal personnel over the years. The turn around was very high until the enforcement of contracts upon new hires. Once employees left, job or not upon completion of their contract/non-compete order, the company got smarter. Instead of allowing team members to learn all aspects of a department, they are only taught small processes within large procedures in order to limit the employees opportunity to learn. This makes it harder for current employees to leave, taking that knowledge they acquired to another job. So only be prepared for slow learning and even slower growth. Once trained, there is minimal room for growth. The benefits are extremely expensive and for most offsets any average/slightly above average compensation. Benefits consist of expensive insurance plans with high deductibles and any short term or long term disability protection is an additional cost to the employee. Many years back, generous bonuses, raises and dinners/picnics were held in appreciation of the employees. These extras don’t or rarely happen and until most recently raises were finally given to match competitor labs. If you are outspoken and can see right through the nonsense fed to you regarding office politics, you probably won’t last here. The ideal candidate comes to work, follows procedures, turns a blind eye to unethical office politics and/or questionable logical reasoning, has a meek personality and is vulnerable to bullies. No matter how many years you work at this organization, if they don’t like you, they will attempt in all ways to single you out, find all minute errors to document to fire you or make the work environment so hostile that you quit (thankfully not my case). However, this company is very opportunistic and took the recent pandemic to “lay off” anyone that they didn’t care for. If a department is unhappy with the work or actions of a team member, do not go to your manager. Management despises whistleblowers. Problems are shoved under the rug, minimized and left unresolved in order to protect employees that they favor (by favor, meaning suck up to management and mentally overcompensate their abilities to look like the sole worker of a department). Because issues get left unresolved, it leaves hardworking employees feeling unheard, unhappy and unmotivated. New hires have horrible shifts, hours and days worked). Years of working here does not guarantee a life long career (keep your resume updated).