Genentech Reviews

Pros

Large company - able to weather ups and downs associated with drug development
Products
People
Pipeline
Compensation and benefits
Career opportunities
Heavily resourced, especially in R&D

Cons

Big Biotech Company
Easy to get lost in the shuffle
Politics of a multinational company
Lack of agility
Leadership vacuum in Primary Care side

Advice to Senior Management

Spend time with customers, don't allow direct reports to filter what you see and hear.
Listen to the customer facing field representatives as well as their clients
Be truthful and tactful. Flatten the organization. Require home office leaders to spend a minimum number of days per year in the trenches.

Pros

The people I think are the number one reason its a great place to work. They've got great benefits compared toother companies. And the pay is pretty good too. And you are working for a company with a purpose.

Cons

Its extremely fast paced and the line between work and home get very blurred. There is no possible way to complete your normal job in a 40 hour week. This is pretty normal and known through out the organization. It can get to be too much at times and a lot of people burn out.

Pros

Good people, Great atmosphere, good pay

Cons

more vacation time. better senior management

Advice to Senior Management

Regular reviews with employees

Pros

Great benefits
off sites
product company produces is amazing

Cons

pay not at market
take over by Roche has changed company culture and values

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employees and maybe reduce some management levels.

Pros

benefits
flexible hours
low key, culture is still exist depending on the site you work at

Cons

cut cost, management is no longer there to support you. The ability to help or develop the individual is no longer exist. 'They throw you under the bus and let you die. It's all about cover the management "CYA' but they will take your job and make it theirs. No credits or appreciation, bonuses no longer exists, more layers than it should have been. NO development plans for employee or recognition for job well done.

Advice to Senior Management

Pay attention to the details and get on the floor; understand and listen. Be more expose to what is going on the manufacturing floor then just the surface. Don't hire idiots to run the sinking ship; listen to the worker bees or the supervisors that see the process day-to day.

Pros

There is an Amazing pipeline in all brand lines. The company supports patient access to therapies with million of dollars every year. Managers don't feel the need to micromanage within Genentech. Constant movement offers vast opportunities for growth. The company offers lots of programs for development. If you prefer success through work - this is the place for you. But be aware that the work hard - play hard motto has dampened with Roche coming in. Generally, people here mean well.

Cons

Although there is spoken interest in diversity there is little action. I'm African American and my manager has never addressed opportunities for me to develop within the company. There is always the issue of 'good fit for the team' that is used when candidates are not chosen for positions even when very qualified. I've recommended excellent minority candidates in the past but they are never hired. There's a bit of a shell game with expectations and work- life balance. The managers in the field are not always on target with the home office.

Advice to Senior Management

Being gay or being a white woman or being an African American or Asian Should not lump you into 1 diversity/ inclusion group. That in no way addresses anyones needs. I've resolved to just be glad I have a job. I believe It can become the Forbes #1 place to work again.

Pros

Superb Benefits/401K plan
Flexible time
Best care for working mothers

Cons

Roche brought a lot of chaos to Genentech. Job descriptions, definition of responsibilities for each job level are vague. Clinical operations suffered from being understaffed for a very long period of time.

Advice to Senior Management

Medical Teams need to learn how to work as great functioning teams. Senior Management need to listen to their employees more.

Pros

Benefits, Beautiful Campus, and great products. It is well respected among others in the industry but not among many healthcare professionals because of a level of arrogance among its employees.

Cons

People are extremely arrogant. If you are an outsider good luck on advancing within the organization. It has nothing to do with gender but you are either in the club or not - despite being called an innovative organization

Pros

Genentech cares their patients and about doing the right thing for the right reasons. Great benefits and great compensation.

Cons

People are promoted into leadership positions because of who they know and how they "play the game" but many do not possess the appropriate skills to inspire, motivate and lead their team. Each department is different so this may not be true of all.

Advice to Senior Management

Promote employees based on their performance and customer feedback. Train managers to focus on fair and equitable treatment of all employees. Provide appropriate management/leadership training.

Pros

Salary (The higher the degree the better); Training

Cons

a lot of cliques within the corporation (which is probably normal).