Worst Company, Terrible Leadership, Steer Clear - Anonymous employee Lonza Employee Review

1.0
28 Aug 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You will learn a lot in a short time (out of necessity, turnover, and lack of appropriate staffing). You will learn about the business side of big pharma Global teams are intelligent and sincere professionals, but severely understaffed. Local site teams are ignorant, unprofessional, and ego-driven.

Cons

Lack of resources Extremely unethical Everything is about the bottom line, profits over people Leadership is corrupt - poor performers stay in positions or get promoted because management doesn't want to deal with performance improvement plans. People get fired over innocent mistakes or misunderstandings. They will "manage you out" if you have a strong quality voice because you aren't "pragmatic" or "flexible" enough for their business deals and customer relations. Sexism, sexual harassment, grooming, and racism is still alive and well. The "good old boys club" is still going strong. The site leadership team feels incredibly entitled and powerful and their egos and competitiveness are immediately apparent. If you know how to play the game you can make it very far in the company - I did - and I still don't have really any positive things to say. You will give them your blood, sweat, tears, marriage, life - and in return they will give you sub-par pay, multiple jobs, no time off, years you can't get back in your life.

Explore other reviews about Lonza

5.0
8 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Diverse opportunities across departments as one wanted

Cons

Provide decent pay and benefits

4.0
14 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Lots to learn about producing API's via fermentation in bioreactors. Lots of room for career growth towards other departments and positions, from the business to the research. Good pay and lots of benefits are offered, such as dental, vision, and medical insurance; they also have a weight-loss program that I'm taking advantage of. Quality is prioritized, so there is no pressure to learn quickly, work faster, or meet quotas to do a good job. Teams are reliable, especially when learning the ropes; they'd be a part of the job I'd miss most if I leave.

Cons

Take careful consideration and be transparent with the supervisors if you're still exploring, as it's not an entry-level job that can hire and train new people at a fast pace all the time (I'm comparing this to retail and fast-food places, though). I live an hour away and work night shift, 7 pm to 7 am, thus the total amount of hours away from home is 14 hours. Please consider your mental endurance as well as your physical endurance for the night shift, as this job requires you to be on your feet, think critically, and can challenge one's work-home life balance.

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