AstraZeneca Reviews

Pros

The benefits are great, and the leaders in my group are respectful and supportive. They are always looking for opportunities for their employees to grow professionally.

Cons

Times are changing, and some of the work-life balance benefits are being challenged. I hope the new CIO doesn't mess things up! All software development has been outsourced offshore.

Advice to Senior Management

People love working for AstraZeneca, and that is because of the flex time available and the respect for employees. If that changes. the highly talented folks will either leave or stop doing a good job.

Pros

The pay is good, and some of the people are good.

Cons

Massively over-manned and over-managed. When anyone else would have one person doing a job, AZ has at least 3, and four extra layers of managers and directors. Instead of merging Astra and Zeneca - both of which were fat and overmanned - they just added them together and put in a couple of extra layers of directors and managers. Having grown fat and lazy with great stock programmes, folk just turn up for work and don't seek the improvements in how the business works that will shortly be needed for survival. The whole culture is just waiting for the next "blockbuster" drug that will make them all real comfortable again. They don't realise that their old model of blockbusters and stupid healthcare plans and governments paying them too much just will not work in the future. The folk from N. America intensely dislike the Brits, the Brits hate the folk from N America, and the Swedes get pushed around by the Americans and Brits.

Advice to Senior Management

Cut the organisation by 40% and reduce the number of managers and directors and VPs by 60%. Change the top of the HR team so that you have some really capable people there. Stop the nonsense about "Globalisation". It is costing you so much money.

Pros

A company doing good for humanity, doing great things to help healthcare and patients in need

Cons

Slow, lots of red tape, too established in old ways and outdated methods of doing things

Advice to Senior Management

Cultural change needed and don't fall into trap of being too american!! AZ thrives on its Anglo Swedish heritage please don't let it become another US Corporate 'clone

Pros

Company Car
Tuition assistance Program

Cons

Lack of promotional oppportunites
Poor communication and direction from senior leadership
No consistency in the way business is conducted
Poor sales incentive program

Advice to Senior Management

Consistent and clear communication
Stronger feedback of the direction the company is heading versus hearing it elsewhere i.e. news media, rumor mill, etc.