Money First, Business Second, People Last - Anonymous employee Novocol Pharma Employee Review

1.0
Mar 31, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Novocol Pharmaceutical (Septodont) was a great place to work at when it was a family owned business. Everyone was happy, kind, and enjoyed working. Even doing overtime wasn't an issue because the work environment was pleasant. Benefits are pretty good, which is convenient since mental health resources are severely needed.

Cons

The new executives have ruined the company within a year of taking over. The company culture is horrible, business is falling apart, and nobody likes going to work anymore. People would rather quit with no back-up than stay. Nobody listens to nor cares about the people doing all the work. They only care about cutting corners by eliminating jobs and implementing short-term solutions instead of investing in their employees and new equipment so they can put more money into their own pockets. You can feel the tension in the air. It's extremely toxic. Nobody is happy, everyone is running on fumes, and are being told to do more with no compensation in return. There has been an increase in people going on mental leave because of how bad it has gotten. Everyone believes that the French Headquarters is getting all the benefits while the Canadian site gets nothing. Not even proper recognition. Until the executive team starts listening to the people at the "bottom", things will only continue to get worse. Also, there is no such thing as a promotion here. You have to "apply" to your position. Not that it matters now since they refuse to increase headcount and wages.

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Novocol Pharma Response
2mo
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We recognize that you have concerns about recent changes and how they have affected your experience. While we may not share all of the views expressed, we take comments related to culture, workload, and employee well‑being seriously. These topics are important, and we are committed to ongoing dialogue and continuous improvement. If you are open to it, we would welcome the opportunity to connect directly to better understand your perspective and experiences. Input from long‑tenured employees is valuable as we continue this work. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. Ashleigh, People and Culture team

Explore other reviews about Novocol Pharma

5.0
Feb 20, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

High wage And good people

Cons

Long hours And hard work

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Novocol Pharma Response
5y
Thank for your review. Your feedback is appreciated!
3.0
Nov 1, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Lots of learning opportunities with the company taking on projects in several areas. Engineers also get the experience of managing their own projects end to end, including initial specification development, budgeting, reporting status updates to customers for contract mfg projects, all opportunities I've not had in other engineering companies. I learned a lot here very quickly. Compensation is competitive for the area and they pay salaried engineers for overtime.

Cons

I learned so much through trial by fire. The entire team worked a significant amount of overtime on a regular basis. Mfg runs 24/7 so engineers are often required to work early/late/overnight to support and train. My manager was mean to me in ways I've never experienced elsewhere, he just seemed to hate me from the start. It was never acceptable to ask questions, which is so weird in an engineering setting. I struggled to get any vacation approved even with months of notice and planning around projects. His toxic behaviour was completely supported and probably influenced by the even more toxic upper upper management.

2
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Novocol Pharma Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you found value in the learning opportunities and the comprehensive project management experience offered here. We strive to provide a competitive compensation package, including overtime pay for salaried engineers, and it’s great to know that this has been beneficial for you. We are, however, deeply concerned about the challenges you faced, particularly regarding the work-life balance and management behavior. If you are open to it, I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your experience further. Please feel free to reach out to myself or any member of our HR department directly. Sincerely, Ashleigh, People and Culture Project Manager
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