GlaxoSmithKline Reviews in Philadelphia, PA Area

Pros

Flexibility, work from home (or remotely), most managers are not constantly over your shoulders, pretty good pay and benefits.

Cons

Due to flexibility very difficult to meet people face2face. Lot of CYA type activities due to matrix type organization. Sometimes I do not see my manager for weeks, this could be good and bad. Things that used to take 4 weeks at a smaller company, take about 2 to 3 months here because it's tough to get people together. Expect to work long hours and odd hours as parts of you team may be based all over the world and thus, late evenings for Australia meetings and Early AM for UK meetings. Management impliments processes without input from the folks who actually have to live with it. A lot of Knee Jerk Reactions. People are over worked.

Advice to Senior Management

Think before you act. In past 5 years, any new re-org or process has lasted less than 1 year. This is a sign that you are not thinking before taking any action. Sometimes major actions are announced, but the final result is hardly any different that the current situation..... basically no one has the guts to take a bold action, especially when it's necessary. We need more people, we are working very long hours to keep-up, this is not good in the long run.

Pros

Great pay and benefits - by far the best I've come across, compared to other industries. Friendly people. Collaborative work environment.

Cons

Not much talent. Was surprised to see people with such limited knowledge and skills. So, was not able to learn much from my colleagues. A lot of "dead" weight and lazy employees who do as little as possible and are able to get away with it. Not much opportunity in Philadelphia vs RTP or London.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire some quality people from the outside. Stop shifting the bad employees from 1 position to another. Consolidate headquarters in the US.

Pros

I was part of a team of very intelligent individuals. Each from their own background, I was able to learn a lot.

Cons

Management always seemed off in their "own little world." The problems the team faced were brought to attention but never really addressed.

Advice to Senior Management

Take your workers' thoughts and ideas not only into consideration, but put them into action. Our team struggled to improve and grown because we were not given the opportunity to do so.

Pros

You'll find good people at Franklin Plaza in Philadelphia. Employees are ethical and strive to be fully compliant to FDA regulations. A strategic focus dominates business operations.

Cons

Strategically strong, culturally weak. Morale has been battered by external issues such as Avandia and by never-ending corporate restructuring. Building is an absolute dump.

Advice to Senior Management

You employees are the first customers you should focus on. Employees want this be a great, successful company, but it's painfully obvious that possibly except for Andrew, senior management is largely learning on the job.

Pros

Great Benefits
Competent Employees
Management Communication in times of change is ok
Diverse work force
Great place for women to work

Cons

Unstable organization
Constant downsizing
Bias in favor of women!
IT thinks they are Microsoft or IBM

Advice to Senior Management

Find ways to reduce need to cut staff by reducing management salaries.

Pros

Relaxed atmosphere that promotes camaraderie

Cons

No clear path for career advancement.
No introductory training in company operations specific to the laboratory.
Frequently changed course and reshuffled staff and managers which stunted bench scientists growth and development.

Pros

Some of the things I appreciate about GSK, accountability, respect for employees, good benefits package, fair pay. Traditional opportunities and advancement are hard to come by, but that doesn't mean there aren't development opportunities out there. You need to take the reigns, no one will do it for you (I state the obvious because many people here seem to expect someone else to be managing their careers for them). The current leadership team is very aggressive, but they respect a work/life balance.

Cons

The industry is going through some big changes, changes that may take 10-20 years to work themselves out. Be prepared for that when choosing a career in Pharma. If you're not directly related to drug development and sales, this may not be the best place to focus your career. But that being said, people will always need medicine, so if your style is compatible with the leadership of the company, go for it.

Advice to Senior Management

Be as open and transparent as you can. It may scare some, but most people appreciate honesty, even if they don't show it right away.

Pros

- great co-workers
- Committed to work together
- Flexible work environment
- Better than average benefit package
- vacation and holidays

Cons

- weak management regarding transition
- Senior Management below C-level - weak at best. Seems as if they are just waiting to retire.
- Communication lacking

Advice to Senior Management

Need to be consistent in times of change. Too many VPs and Directors who lack knowledge about their respective businesses. Talent is wasted due to poor decision making by divisional leadership.

Pros

GlaxoSmithKline is one of the biggest Pharma companies world-wide, so the name recognition stands out on a resume.
Because of the large amount of money in big pharma, the technology here is superior to what you might find at a smaller company.

Cons

NO job security.
No feedback, advice, encouragement, or even any communication with supervisors and upper management.
No sense of direction or work importance.
No hope for being hired full-time after completion of co-op.

Advice to Senior Management

Talk to your employees. Let them know how their work is important and provide feedback so they can adjust their work to meet expectations.

Pros

Benefits are quite good compared to other companies.

Cons

Expectation is that you will work all the time.

Advice to Senior Management

None