Future Bleak

[Anonymous]

As someone who has worked for B&L for 20+ years now and still has a job there, I can say I've seen a lot going on that people are describing here. Over the years, they built up a massive management and executive structure. The last 10 years, the company was extremely top heavy - it was inevitable it would come crashing down, top first. We've seen a lot of dead weight finally removed and not replaced. Finally. For too long, we'd seen 1 person leave and replaced with 3 or 4. Sure, some good people lost their jobs. I'd go so far to say that some critical and much needed people were let go too and that is unfortunate in some cases it has made the jobs for those of us who have stayed a bit more difficult. But, we're working through it. As hard as it may be, it is nice to see more of a focus on the bottom line that some of us long-timers haven't seen since the middle 1990's. For too many years it was about building mini empires all over the globe. A few of those still exist, but I'll bet over the next 12 -18 months we'll see some of those dissolve too especially in California and St. Louis. Hey, it's a modern, globally competitive market we're in now and things will never return to the way they were. We have to accept it.

 

[Anonymous]

As someone who has worked for B&L for 20+ years now and still has a job there, I can say I've seen a lot going on that people are describing here. Over the years, they built up a massive management and executive structure. The last 10 years, the company was extremely top heavy - it was inevitable it would come crashing down, top first. We've seen a lot of dead weight finally removed and not replaced. Finally. For too long, we'd seen 1 person leave and replaced with 3 or 4. Sure, some good people lost their jobs. I'd go so far to say that some critical and much needed people were let go too and that is unfortunate in some cases it has made the jobs for those of us who have stayed a bit more difficult. But, we're working through it. As hard as it may be, it is nice to see more of a focus on the bottom line that some of us long-timers haven't seen since the middle 1990's. For too many years it was about building mini empires all over the globe. A few of those still exist, but I'll bet over the next 12 -18 months we'll see some of those dissolve too especially in California and St. Louis. Hey, it's a modern, globally competitive market we're in now and things will never return to the way they were. We have to accept it.

Great post! And, oh, so true.

 

[Anonymous]

Take a gander around at this industry. This company is no different. In fact, look at Eye Care over the last year or two. In the last few months alone, Merck had dumped all eyecare reps for lack of new and novel drugs and the ones they had not moving-very hard to sell name brand in competitive markets today. ISTA IS GONE-aren't they. Those people were not too happy to join this company. Just last week, Allergan cut 100 reps and 10 managers. They have more cuts coming as they lose their patents on Lumigan and then Restasis-with nothing in their pipeline. They already cut to the bare bones in their home office several years ago. Alcon did the same a while ago. They cut reps across the country.

Corporations are not set up for employers. If that is what you are looking for, forget it. It does not exist. If you want an employee based job, you'll need to look at family owned or small business, but even then, the bottom line is the most important.

Open your own business.

I also encourage you to seek an opportunity outside of this industry. You appear to be an intelligent person, but maybe reality has become distorted?

 

[Anonymous]

I am informed. It does noone any good to whine and moan every day like you are doing. So, like it or leave it!
I'll stay here and enjoy the benefits of my job and all that I earn. If I am let go I will go somewhere else. Try it! You may like it more than being a misery monger.

Check around. Noone else is crying. I agree with others on this thread that you have some deep seeded personal problems that you need to be getting help with. I'm sure your family and friends are sick of hearing you too. If you would spend as much time working on cover letters, resumes & job searches as you do posting here you might be gainfully employed somewhere that you could tolerate.

Maybe you are one of those people that dont work, rely on everyone else to support you and pull your weight. Sounds like it. Cry me a river.

A lot of fluffy maybe this maybe that, but you've yet to make any substantive case for Valeant. Punch your time card, get your check. Baaaaah.

 

[Anonymous]

Take a gander around at this industry. This company is no different. In fact, look at Eye Care over the last year or two. In the last few months alone, Merck had dumped all eyecare reps for lack of new and novel drugs and the ones they had not moving-very hard to sell name brand in competitive markets today. ISTA IS GONE-aren't they. Those people were not too happy to join this company. Just last week, Allergan cut 100 reps and 10 managers. They have more cuts coming as they lose their patents on Lumigan and then Restasis-with nothing in their pipeline. They already cut to the bare bones in their home office several years ago. Alcon did the same a while ago. They cut reps across the country.

Corporations are not set up for employers. If that is what you are looking for, forget it. It does not exist. If you want an employee based job, you'll need to look at family owned or small business, but even then, the bottom line is the most important.

Open your own business.

I also encourage you to seek an opportunity outside of this industry. You appear to be an intelligent person, but maybe reality has become distorted?

And may I add that the upper management team at Allergan sold stock two weeks before putting these people out on the streets. One sold over $6 million in shares. The severance package they offered most reps was two months pay. Several walked away with nothing after over 10 years or more of service.

 

[Anonymous]

A lot of fluffy maybe this maybe that, but you've yet to make any substantive case for Valeant. Punch your time card, get your check. Baaaaah.

I don't have to make a case for Valeant. They have given me a job, a 401K, stock options, company car, healthcare package, and a bonus structure. They have done nothing to me that I , nor anyone else, should have to defend or promote.

Looks like everyone is tiring of your constant negativity. I have yet to see anything but responses that are asking you to leave the company. Maybe you should!

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have to make a case for Valeant. They have given me a job, a 401K, stock options, company car, healthcare package, and a bonus structure. They have done nothing to me that I , nor anyone else, should have to defend or promote.

Looks like everyone is tiring of your constant negativity. I have yet to see anything but responses that are asking you to leave the company. Maybe you should!

Well of course, you're in sales. The untouchables. Contact some of your non-sales peers (you know, the positions that require an education and skills) and see how they feel. Vast majority are with me.

Enjoy your financial benefits until that next big, highly leveraged, acquisition that they're already talking about. And if it's in eye health, start looking over your shoulder all over again. Think about it, Valeant has one true skill, one true product and that's synergy.

One thing I agree with you is that it's a new company and a new environment and like hundreds of others who've developed and built the products you sell, I'm out. I only wish I could get your opinions again in 6 months.

 

[Anonymous]

This is the best post ever. Lots of debate about what makes a good company and what makes a bad company. I am siding with the Valeant is not a good company crowd. The counter argument is I'm doing OK and so therefore the company is good is not a good argument. Reason:

1. You are not likely to be OK for long given Valeant's history.

2. Watching your peers get picked off (in a much larger percent layoffs than most companies go through) and being happy about it is not healthy. It is your misfortune and none of my own mentality is the seeds of a company with zero teamwork.

3. Layoffs should occur once and not continuously over time. How can you build a professional working team if you help your coworker out they may be saved and you get the cut in the next layoff round. Good companies have groups of people working together to accomplish goals not groups of selfish individuals pushing and shoving for the exit when there is a fire in the building. If people work together everyone gets out safely.

4. In your world if you make the exit and 50% of the rest get hurt you are just happy you are still OK.

This is called a real bad working environment. You should really join a pirate ship. You might survive to get the gold after you take out 5 or 6 of your fellow pirates to get a bigger share of the loot.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree....this is a really good post. Arguing both sides. Definitely makes one sit back and really think about where they want to be....I just wish we all had more specifics on possible layoffs, I am definitely grateful to have a job, but not anticipating long term employment here.

 

[Anonymous]

This is the best post ever. Lots of debate about what makes a good company and what makes a bad company. I am siding with the Valeant is not a good company crowd. The counter argument is I'm doing OK and so therefore the company is good is not a good argument. Reason:

1. You are not likely to be OK for long given Valeant's history.

2. Watching your peers get picked off (in a much larger percent layoffs than most companies go through) and being happy about it is not healthy. It is your misfortune and none of my own mentality is the seeds of a company with zero teamwork.

3. Layoffs should occur once and not continuously over time. How can you build a professional working team if you help your coworker out they may be saved and you get the cut in the next layoff round. Good companies have groups of people working together to accomplish goals not groups of selfish individuals pushing and shoving for the exit when there is a fire in the building. If people work together everyone gets out safely.

4. In your world if you make the exit and 50% of the rest get hurt you are just happy you are still OK.

This is called a real bad working environment. You should really join a pirate ship. You might survive to get the gold after you take out 5 or 6 of your fellow pirates to get a bigger share of the loot.

Well said. You get it.

 

[Anonymous]

Well of course, you're in sales. The untouchables. Contact some of your non-sales peers (you know, the positions that require an education and skills) and see how they feel. Vast majority are with me.

Enjoy your financial benefits until that next big, highly leveraged, acquisition that they're already talking about. And if it's in eye health, start looking over your shoulder all over again. Think about it, Valeant has one true skill, one true product and that's synergy.

One thing I agree with you is that it's a new company and a new environment and like hundreds of others who've developed and built the products you sell, I'm out. I only wish I could get your opinions again in 6 months.

Whoa...hold on there. No need to sling mud and get personal with attacks on sales people. I, as all of my peers, am required to have at least a college education. Most pharma companies look for science majors who finish in the top half of the class. I have a masters. Chemistry is my forte.
I have been laid off several times and most recently was unemployed for a good while before being hired at B & L. I am a producer. But I am also aware that this is a TEAM, meaning none of us exists without the other. We all have skills that make the wheels turn.
At my previous company I got special permission to put the product developers-scientists on the road to speak. When I came up for training, I was the only new hire to cross the hall to find an old research guy--that I knew.
Because we sales reps have short lives with pharma companies, we see the same things from company to company. These issues are not new or unique to Valeant. We are used to the lay off games that pharma corporations have been making for years. A d we deal with other dynamics too. I'm over 40-rarely do you see pharma companies hiring us-cause we my be experienced and great at what we do, but we're not young & perky/flirty anymore.
Ok, enough of that dribble...

I'm sorry you lost your job. I know you are hurt, angry, and more. I was
laid off recently and was out of work for a year. Look across the country. This is what has happened to our country, not just Valeant.

I agree, I may get laid off again. I may see others laid off. Same thing I've seen everywhere-with almost every pharma company. Why would you expect Valeant to be different?

I am not naive to the company or what might happen down the road. But please understand it can happen anywhere-with any company. I will continue to work hard and make my mark so if/when it happens I can take my experience and move to another job. That's what I did last time and it brought me here.

I encourage everyone to prepare themselves financially for lay offs. This economy is not generous nor kind...and its not over.

Coming from someone who was laid off-I know how you feel and what you are going through. It's easy to be angry, but don't! Seriously, it will keep you back-keep you from moving on. I promise you (from experience) staying on this board and posting negative comments is only hurting you and your emotional healing. Although you may think you are helping the rest of us by warning us-we already know. If you will find something positive to fill your time, it will help-I volunteered with needy children. Start healing.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a great thread. You need to read it all the way from the top.

 

[Anonymous]

The sales representative that has been laid off at other companies and now loves his job at Valeant/B+L does not like the negativity on Pharma Cafe.

kind of hard to believe.


If a company is making millions on the increase in the Valeant stock they sure could pay some bozo a few thousand dollars to counter negative threads with oh boy things really are not so bad here threads.

Face we all know that the employees at Valeant/B+L do not like their jobs and the constant threat of layoffs. Pharma Cafe can detect these phonies so easily. Nice try.

 

[Anonymous]

The sales representative that has been laid off at other companies and now loves his job at Valeant/B+L does not like the negativity on Pharma Cafe.

kind of hard to believe.


If a company is making millions on the increase in the Valeant stock they sure could pay some bozo a few thousand dollars to counter negative threads with oh boy things really are not so bad here threads.

Face we all know that the employees at Valeant/B+L do not like their jobs and the constant threat of layoffs. Pharma Cafe can detect these phonies so easily. Nice try.

I was hired on this year. Believe what you want. I've been in pharma sales for over 20 years. Just because you do not agree with me does not make me some stupid corporate spy.

Do you know Quintus? He can vouch for me-I told you I went across the hall to see him when in training in NJ.

And I will tell you, my last company was a horrible place to work. They treated people worse than scum. I was let go after more than 15 years and given no severance. For over a year my job was verbally threatened every day by managers and trainers. I watched friends who had spent a lifetime there get written up for things they never did in attempts to get us all to leave. I was too. And just this year they raised the drug i used to sell by $100 a monthly dose. Greed? I have never in my life seen anything like it and don't expect to again. Except for this board, all my interactions here have been very positive. And, except for this board everyone has been upbeat and positive. Maybe that will change in time, but for now I'm sticking by my statements.

I truely believe that attitude can get you through alot. This may not be the garden of Eden, but there were problems there too!
I am not participating in company stock purchasing or matching-although my financial advisor suggested I do it for the high match rate (way better than my last pharma co). Maybe I'm still in a wait-and-see mode. I am financially responsible, so if I get laid off i'll be okay. I have a really good track record, so I feel certain I can get some kind of job too. I will continue to make a difference, because that's what I do. I will continue to stay positive, because I learned its a hell of a lot better than being miserable.
And as for being out of work-it will get better. I was scared-not alot of companies want to hire a sales rep my age (do the math-over 20 yrs in pharma makes me over the hill for a rep). But you will find something. You may leave the industry or move to another part of the country-but find something that will make you happy and try to be positive.

Oh-i posted some negative stuff on my old company's board for awhile-along with others who were disgruntled. It kept me in that angry place...that's why I suggested getting away from cafe pharma for awhile. Been in your shoes. Anger is so unhealthy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thought I would add that when B& L bought ISTA a lot of reps left because they hated B&L. It happens. Transitions don't make everyone happy. B&L then let go of many reps-so even B&L was doing the things you are fussing about. It is everywhere!

 

[Anonymous]

Clearly two geoups here: sales and non-sales. Sales people seem ok with Valeant, non-sales do not.

 

[Anonymous]

I was hired on this year. Believe what you want. I've been in pharma sales for over 20 years. Just because you do not agree with me does not make me some stupid corporate spy.

Do you know Quintus? He can vouch for me-I told you I went across the hall to see him when in training in NJ.

And I will tell you, my last company was a horrible place to work. They treated people worse than scum. I was let go after more than 15 years and given no severance. For over a year my job was verbally threatened every day by managers and trainers. I watched friends who had spent a lifetime there get written up for things they never did in attempts to get us all to leave. I was too. And just this year they raised the drug i used to sell by $100 a monthly dose. Greed? I have never in my life seen anything like it and don't expect to again. Except for this board, all my interactions here have been very positive. And, except for this board everyone has been upbeat and positive. Maybe that will change in time, but for now I'm sticking by my statements.

I truely believe that attitude can get you through alot. This may not be the garden of Eden, but there were problems there too!
I am not participating in company stock purchasing or matching-although my financial advisor suggested I do it for the high match rate (way better than my last pharma co). Maybe I'm still in a wait-and-see mode. I am financially responsible, so if I get laid off i'll be okay. I have a really good track record, so I feel certain I can get some kind of job too. I will continue to make a difference, because that's what I do. I will continue to stay positive, because I learned its a hell of a lot better than being miserable.
And as for being out of work-it will get better. I was scared-not alot of companies want to hire a sales rep my age (do the math-over 20 yrs in pharma makes me over the hill for a rep). But you will find something. You may leave the industry or move to another part of the country-but find something that will make you happy and try to be positive.

Oh-i posted some negative stuff on my old company's board for awhile-along with others who were disgruntled. It kept me in that angry place...that's why I suggested getting away from cafe pharma for awhile. Been in your shoes. Anger is so unhealthy.

Wow, you've worked for some really bad companies.

 

[Anonymous]

Clearly two geoups here: sales and non-sales. Sales people seem ok with Valeant, non-sales do not.

I dunno, maybe because we sales reps have seen lay offs since the beginning of time? Its part of our existence. We are expendable. Companies move us out and replace us with no regard. You non sales people are seeing it for the first time- but please know that other companies have experienced these lay offs -it is not something new. You have been lucky-or maybe not. Maybe its created a false sense of loyalty & security that really wasn't.

I wish you all well. For the person who called us sales reps the untouchables, you have no idea. None. Not a clue. And you should really keep comments like that to yourself. No one here is better than anyone else, needs their job less than anyone else. No place for that kind of remark. More sales reps were laid off by B & L than in house peeps.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, you've worked for some really bad companies.

They are considered good companies by the outsiders. That's pharma on the sales side. Check out some other company boards. Most of us are treated with disrespect. Bullied. Belittled. Threatened, you know, the whole fear & intimidation thing that nobody deserves. I can say that my experience here has been different. Good. Positive. Healthy. Supportive.

 

[Anonymous]

I dunno, maybe because we sales reps have seen lay offs since the beginning of time? Its part of our existence. We are expendable. Companies move us out and replace us with no regard. You non sales people are seeing it for the first time- but please know that other companies have experienced these lay offs -it is not something new. You have been lucky-or maybe not. Maybe its created a false sense of loyalty & security that really wasn't.

I wish you all well. For the person who called us sales reps the untouchables, you have no idea. None. Not a clue. And you should really keep comments like that to yourself. No one here is better than anyone else, needs their job less than anyone else. No place for that kind of remark. More sales reps were laid off by B & L than in house peeps.

A pharma company that holds on to its reps without layoffs for more than a year or two-no such thing. Some get rid of an entire division at a time with a single email or voicemail. Allergan strung their eyecare sales force on for three months knowing there would be cuts but refusing to announce who until after Christmas and the end of the year. They wanted to get in every last sale and earn big bonuses for the big dogs before laying off 1/4 of their sales force and half their managers. Merck shut down the entire division. Nothing like sitting at home for two days waiting for a phone call to tell you if you still have a job tomorrow. All cuts were effective immediately. At allergan another division is enlarging, but they would not transfer reps from one division to another. That's just eyecare. It's all pharma companies.