"Seattle Genetics"
- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
I have been working at Seattle Genetics full-time
Pros
Company cares about it's employees, and is passionate about oncology patients
Cons
Lack of durable decision at senior management level - 2 steps forward and 1 step back pattern
Helpful (3)
Pros
Great coworkers and the CEO is a really nice guy when you get a chance to see him walking around campus.
Cons
Could be better if senior management didn't play favorites.
Helpful (17)
I worked at Seattle Genetics full-time (More than 5 years)
Pros
The best thing about the company are the ground troops: the scientists, operations people, statisticians, and manufacturing people. They really care about the mission and the quality of their work. They're bright and talented people who want to make new medicines for patients.
The salaries are good (but really average for the industry), and the benefits are industry standard. There's good free coffee and the company orders free lunches for noon meetings constantly, so there's always free food. Oh, and there's a movie theatre-style popcorn maker that makes really good popcorn. And a foosball table (but sadly, nobody has time to play).
Cons
- Senior management is pretty toxic, insulated, bullying, and micromanaging. Teams are not empowered, and are frequently whipsawed by the whims and fears of the executives who can't make a decision.
- The bullying and fear-based culture has permeated the lower management ranks, meaning that things won't change without a wholesale change at the top.
- So. Much. Process. It's nuts. As a result, people work very hard and are very but don't produce very much (slide decks do not equal productivity)
- Currently, morale is very poor. The number of people leaving is higher than the number of new people coming in. Senior management appears in denial about low morale: they clearly don't want to talk about it or explore it (no employee surveys, no mechanism for people to provide feedback)
- Any sense of being "cutting edge" or "willing to take risks" has long since evaporated since this company was at the forefront of a new technology. Fear of hurting the brand drives many decisions and limits exploration of new approaches.
Advice to Management
Senior management needs to talk to the employees, otherwise the trickle of departures will accelerate. The entire corporate culture needs a reboot. Unfortunately, this can only be effective if it comes from the CEO, and that can only happen if he changes or if he puts the needs of the company over his own needs. The employees would value a functional culture and a sense of optimism far more than more swag or an over-the-top rock concert or holiday party.
Helpful (8)
Pros
Marketed product truly makes a difference in patients' lives. Physicians have a positive view of Seattle Genetics. Cross-functional teams and task forces are very common. Organizational structure is appropriate. All company meetings keep employees informed.
Cons
Expertise is limited thus leaving the SMEs with an enormous workload but without recognition from those who lack experience, including some in senior leadership roles. Direct communication is lacking. Personnel concerns are not addressed thoroughly or timely. Hiring/gaining additional resources is borderline impossible, in part due to lack of Senior Management experience across all functions of the company. All teams/personnel are not treated equally with regard to titles, pay and respect. Additional minor cons include: no onsite cafeteria, minimal vacation package, location.
Advice to Management
Recommend Senior Leadership better understand the health of the employees and concerns they might have. It would be tragic to lose the talent that is experienced and can find work elsewhere.
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Seattle Genetics Response
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