Reckitt Benckiser Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than a year

Pros – Fast paced, high level of responsibility, ownership of work, changing environment.

Cons – very little work life balance, understaffed in back office tasks.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Reckitt Benckiser full-time

Pros – If you wanna move up, there are plenty of opportunities available. Company wide bonus structure in place so that if company does well, employees benefit. Great insurance and 401 k.

Cons – Too much middle management in place, which creates a lot of extra busy work for others in order to validate their own jobs.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Company pays well if you can keep up your numbers. Brought to market a life-changing medication that has been remarkably successful. Many passionate, dedicated clinical people and sales people and managers in US. Clinical leadership committed to values re: people struggling with addiction globally. Company is investing in research & product development for future addiction disease space products.

Cons – Typical corporate balancing act of expressing focus on patients, while ultimately focused on profits & stockholders & meeting numbers. Global expansion financed by big profits in US, while US field staff feel pressured & undervalued. US facing multiple generics and branded buprenorphine competition in 2013, after successful tactics to keep generics off market will wear out, so everyone has their resumes up to date. RBP is one product company, with NO pipeline products close to approval. Lack of diversity in management: "boys club". Fearful environment: "keep your head down" mentality re: internal communication. Marketing, managed care, HR, compliance,legal, sales, way understaffed for many years, depite huge profits. Now legal & compliance are making up for lost time with multiple investigations. LONG HOURS - "high expectation" mentality -yet little loyalty to employees. Sales managers must drop family commitments for last minute "urgent" out of town meetings. Sales people in US must share hotel rooms at regional/national meetings. All other staff get single rooms, as well as non-US sales staff, a policty that (selectively) disrespects adults & need for sleep. Heavy drinking culture at national meetings: appearance at bar is considered mandatory for managers. 15 days vacation for first 10 years in US.

Advice to Senior Management – People tell you what they think you want to hear.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time

Pros – Good Benefits
In field and not trapped in an office

Cons – Micromanagement
Team treated as they don't exist
Lack of respect for employees

Advice to Senior Management – Consider your employees as people and not ROI numbers.
Be realistic of needed tools in the field.
Make a decision and stick with it.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Very good experience, great learning

Cons – highly un-organised,very tactical,takes lot of time to take decesion

Advice to Senior Management – Be more equity driven,leave micro management

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for less than a year

Pros – Superior benefits, fair pay, opportunity for advancement based on your desire to move up the ranks. Some corporate perks such as the store, safety bonuses and others.

Cons – Lack of support, upper management not in touch with what really goes on in the plant (especially on night/evening shifts) control freaks with seniority who will sabotage newbies that do not kiss up to them as they see fit, clique type dynamics which leads to a hostile working environment, long 12 hour shifts, lack of decent air conditioning in hot summers, favoritism, not a progressive or supportive manufacturing environment.

Advice to Senior Management – Learn and understand what dynamics are actually in play in the manufacturing environment you bring your new hires (especially from outside) into. Maintain contact, follow up, and listen to the individuals you bring into your organization. Support and cultivate the employees instead of immediately feeding them to the sharks with some seniority- who should not wield all the control and power, but do. You seek quality star people with drive and initiative, but these same people are the ones targeted with hostility and predjudice by others with closed minds and or jealous tendencies toward any new people or ideas that do not fit their status quo. They (some RB's with some seniority) create power plays even so far as pitting the temporary workers against your new RB hires.(some of these temps blatently disregard all company rules such as safety glasses and steel toed shoes and get away with doing very little work, and others just rob your company blind of your products on a nightly basis- but since they are in the clique, nothing is ever said). Some of these temps,(not all-you do have great ones) along with a few bad RB's, rally against your new hires and blatently sabotage any efforts to fit in and excell within your company. You have many great people employed within your company but there are also several people that will always hold you back in this facility. Hostile and divided -but management does not seem to know about these dynamics or seem to care to. High turnover in management does not help this either. I saw several extremely talented people fall into this same predicament. Sad for us high achievers who never get the opportunity to shine and show the very talents you hired us for.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time

Pros – Quick Business Decisions
International Mobility
Above Avg Salary and Bonus

The relatively flat organization and fast paced culture ensures that decisions are made in a timely manner. Doesn't take months to align on simple decisions like it would at larger CPG companies like Procter, Unilever or J&J. Employees are not usually stuck in one function for their entire career....mobility across functions and internationally is possible and encouraged. Bonuses (if you get it) and retirement benefits are some of the best I've seen in my 16 year CPG career. A lot of people on glass door mention that there is no formal training...which is true. But if you wrote on your resume that you have 5-10 years of experience in your discipline....how much training do you need? RB seeks those who already know what they're doing...reducing the need for training. For those just starting out in marketing, if you are a quick learner and willing to learn on the job vs. tons of formal training classes...you'll be fine. If you are more comfortable learning more slowly and prefer constant classes with massive training manuals teaching you step by step, I would suggest working at P&G, General Mills, J&J, etc for a few years, get experience, then come apply to RB.

Cons – Quick Business Decisions
Extreme Workload

Although making quick business decisions can be deemed positive by getting to market quickly or correcting things quickly....sometimes the fast paced expectation causes rash decisions, expensive errors, re-work and most importantly burnt out employees and high turnover. The culture at RB can be aggressive and intense, so those without a thick skin should not apply. And by aggressive I think most people mean that people are blunt. Sugar coating your reaction to someones comment or idea in a meeting that you don't agree with is not necessary. Being blunt and straight-forward is encouraged and rewarded. In which case it may hurt the feelings of someone who is sensitive. Outside of meetings, the work environment is normal....asking about your weekend plans, watching hilarous youtube videos together, walking over to someone's desk to ask a question, etc. The culture in the household division in Parsippany is aggressive as explained above. But the culture in the food division in Chester is a bit more toned down, nurturing, family business feel, etc.

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Quick promotion. Fast pace. Fun. Global exposure

Cons – Not all brands/roles given equal treatment. Marketing spend and Working Media cut dramatically and seemingly illogically. Bonus structure a real hit or miss from 0 to 45 in my current role.

Advice to Senior Management – Stop cutting funds so aggressively. Cutting off your nose despite your face!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Achievement based business model where recognition goes to those who deserve it. Always new challenges presented daily. Very energetic workplace. Results Driven. A "pave your own way" kind of place.

Cons – Demanding, sometimes creating long hours (12+). Not a clear organization structure, leads to lack of direction for entry level "rock stars". Sales/Marketing focused (good for sales, not for supply)

Advice to Senior Management – Create a pathway for entry level positions - i.e. future plans

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Reckitt Benckiser full-time for more than a year

Pros – Good line leads. Overtime available.

Cons – The company need a manager with common sense. Today, a new protocol was implemented: workers are fired with no warning for opening the door for other employees. Keep in mind, over half of the employees here don't have access cards. There is a breakroom/lobby area and the factory proper requires another access card. "For our saftey" workers aren't allowed to wait for their shift to start in the building. This rule was implemented in 102 degree weather!

Rules like this are more and more common. This was a great company, but the management thinks they can screw the workers and help the bottom line.

Advice to Senior Management – Use common sense!

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company