IS ANYONE HAPPY AT AMGEN?

[Anonymous]

I see a lot of negative posts, and I, of course, do not know if they are from the same 2 or 3 people posting. Is there anyone happy here? It seems like a great Company with decent products and benefits--ok vacation time, etc. Why is there so much negativity? Is it due to the most recent layoffs or other matters? I'm considering accepting a position, and I hope someone that is happy here and more realistic can shed some light. Thanks so much.

 

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of happy people at Amgen. Keep in mind that CafePharma generally is an avenue for disgruntled and unhappy people to express their thoughts and feelings.

There are many great things about Amgen, and of course, many things that people may not like. The work can be very challenging - those that state that their work is mindless may simply not be in the right position any longer. As with any company, there are product life cycles that do require the leadership to reset the board, hence the existence of expense management, headcount reductions (as well as hiring), etc. Our products are valuable to patients, we get paid a very good wage, our benefits are tremendous, and if you have skill sets outside of your work area, you can find avenues to put those to work.

Unhappy people complain. They complain about their job, they complain about their manager, they complain about executive leadership, they complain about pay, they complain about anything that makes them feel that they are being wronged. These unhappy people need to change the environment that makes them unhappy - change jobs, change company, change attitude, or dare if I say so, effect change on the elements that make them unhappy.

People complain the company/manager/leadership sucks but don't do anything about it - these people turn into a disease that needs to be cut out. Certainly there are people that do end up in working for someone they do not respect or like and that can cause problems. This is not specific to Amgen. What really is a shame that too many people are afraid to make changes to find happiness.

Amgen certainly isn't the same company it was 10 years ago - it is better and worse. The company evolves as it must. I for one do not like how my function is run at the EVP and SVP level. But I enjoy working for my manager and the two successive layers above him. Take the good and bad.

Great company, great management scattered throughout the company, great products. Also a company without problems - just like everywhere else. The grass sure looks greener on the other side to me sometimes, but it's an illusion. I have heard MANY more times from people that left the company that wished they hadn't.

Good luck to you.

 

[Anonymous]

I see a lot of negative posts, and I, of course, do not know if they are from the same 2 or 3 people posting. Is there anyone happy here? It seems like a great Company with decent products and benefits--ok vacation time, etc. Why is there so much negativity? Is it due to the most recent layoffs or other matters? I'm considering accepting a position, and I hope someone that is happy here and more realistic can shed some light. Thanks so much.

Like anything else in life you will have to take the chance. If you are coming from big Pharma this place may be a bit of a shock to the system. Very immature processes, terribly disorganized and inexperienced/ clueless exec management. The majority of the people are great and if it were not for their total devotion and talent this company would never have developed the great products we are delivering to patients.

Always keep your options open. Don't expect loyalty to be recognized or rewarded.

 

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of happy people at Amgen. Keep in mind that CafePharma generally is an avenue for disgruntled and unhappy people to express their thoughts and feelings.

There are many great things about Amgen, and of course, many things that people may not like. The work can be very challenging - those that state that their work is mindless may simply not be in the right position any longer. As with any company, there are product life cycles that do require the leadership to reset the board, hence the existence of expense management, headcount reductions (as well as hiring), etc. Our products are valuable to patients, we get paid a very good wage, our benefits are tremendous, and if you have skill sets outside of your work area, you can find avenues to put those to work.

Unhappy people complain. They complain about their job, they complain about their manager, they complain about executive leadership, they complain about pay, they complain about anything that makes them feel that they are being wronged. These unhappy people need to change the environment that makes them unhappy - change jobs, change company, change attitude, or dare if I say so, effect change on the elements that make them unhappy.

People complain the company/manager/leadership sucks but don't do anything about it - these people turn into a disease that needs to be cut out. Certainly there are people that do end up in working for someone they do not respect or like and that can cause problems. This is not specific to Amgen. What really is a shame that too many people are afraid to make changes to find happiness.

Amgen certainly isn't the same company it was 10 years ago - it is better and worse. The company evolves as it must. I for one do not like how my function is run at the EVP and SVP level. But I enjoy working for my manager and the two successive layers above him. Take the good and bad.

Great company, great management scattered throughout the company, great products. Also a company without problems - just like everywhere else. The grass sure looks greener on the other side to me sometimes, but it's an illusion. I have heard MANY more times from people that left the company that wished they hadn't.

Good luck to you.

Seriously! HR TROLL GO BACK TO YOUR HOLE

 

[Anonymous]

Seriously! HR TROLL GO BACK TO YOUR HOLE

Obviously this person was not part of the AFP working group around outsourcing HR.
Remember, everything is on the table.

 

[Anonymous]

Like anything else in life you will have to take the chance. If you are coming from big Pharma this place may be a bit of a shock to the system. Very immature processes, terribly disorganized and inexperienced/ clueless exec management. The majority of the people are great and if it were not for their total devotion and talent this company would never have developed the great products we are delivering to patients.

Always keep your options open. Don't expect loyalty to be recognized or rewarded.

Immature processes and disorganized clueless management at a corporation in its 4th decade. What does that say about the company? Amgen is surviving on early years discoveries and purchased products.

Yes, there are many good people. But they are buried in the chaos and self-promotion that is today's Amgen. This is the death of a once great company.

 

[Anonymous]

Amgen is a great company. Dissatisfied people should just get another job somewhere else. It's not very hard to land another gig and make more money.

 

[Anonymous]

Like anything else in life you will have to take the chance. If you are coming from big Pharma this place may be a bit of a shock to the system. Very immature processes, terribly disorganized and inexperienced/ clueless exec management. The majority of the people are great and if it were not for their total devotion and talent this company would never have developed the great products we are delivering to patients.

Always keep your options open. Don't expect loyalty to be recognized or rewarded.

Thank you. I am coming from Big Pharma. so thanks for allowing me to be prepared!

 

[Anonymous]

I am happy at Amgen. Contract and dead weight are the ONLY ones who got laid off. Do not let these negative naysayers influence you. Amgen is a good Company. I'm not HR either. They are FAR from perfect, but they are solid. If you join this Company, you have made the correct and right decision. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Obviously this person was not part of the AFP working group around outsourcing HR.
Remember, everything is on the table.

Yes I think you caught the troll. Who has HR any longer? The overwhelming majority are CW.

 

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of happy people at Amgen. Keep in mind that CafePharma generally is an avenue for disgruntled and unhappy people to express their thoughts and feelings.

There are many great things about Amgen, and of course, many things that people may not like. The work can be very challenging - those that state that their work is mindless may simply not be in the right position any longer. As with any company, there are product life cycles that do require the leadership to reset the board, hence the existence of expense management, headcount reductions (as well as hiring), etc. Our products are valuable to patients, we get paid a very good wage, our benefits are tremendous, and if you have skill sets outside of your work area, you can find avenues to put those to work.

Unhappy people complain. They complain about their job, they complain about their manager, they complain about executive leadership, they complain about pay, they complain about anything that makes them feel that they are being wronged. These unhappy people need to change the environment that makes them unhappy - change jobs, change company, change attitude, or dare if I say so, effect change on the elements that make them unhappy.

People complain the company/manager/leadership sucks but don't do anything about it - these people turn into a disease that needs to be cut out. Certainly there are people that do end up in working for someone they do not respect or like and that can cause problems. This is not specific to Amgen. What really is a shame that too many people are afraid to make changes to find happiness.

Amgen certainly isn't the same company it was 10 years ago - it is better and worse. The company evolves as it must. I for one do not like how my function is run at the EVP and SVP level. But I enjoy working for my manager and the two successive layers above him. Take the good and bad.

Great company, great management scattered throughout the company, great products. Also a company without problems - just like everywhere else. The grass sure looks greener on the other side to me sometimes, but it's an illusion. I have heard MANY more times from people that left the company that wished they hadn't.

Good luck to you.

Whereas I believe your post is good, I do not believe anywhere near the majority of people are happy at Amgen. Good benefits, fairly good pay, but a highly volatile working atmosphere with lots of uncertainty and misdirection. Certainly ACO, which went from nearly 1800 people to 400 and dwindling, ARI with 1700 down to 800, not to mention the cuts in AWA and ADL.............the vast majority of the Amgen people are now ex-Amgenites. Of those, at least here in the East........many have gotten better jobs with more pay and in the fields that they were actually trained for. Amgen has a penchant of sticking people where they feel like, not necessarily related to the person's abilities or wants. It was a great company and still has some great people in it, but for most people now it is just a pay check. Although the staff continues working at an insane and frantic pace, we are really just paddling water and waiting for the inevitable VTP or RIF. I think only Amgen could require its employees to remain 'professional' even while you are training your replacements in another country who will eliminate your job. It seems a bit cruel these days.

 

[Anonymous]

My name is Bingo and I'm happy.

 

[Anonymous]

I am happy at Amgen. Contract and dead weight are the ONLY ones who got laid off. Do not let these negative naysayers influence you. Amgen is a good Company. I'm not HR either. They are FAR from perfect, but they are solid. If you join this Company, you have made the correct and right decision. Good luck!

Thank you for your honest response. I believe I will accept the offer. It doesn't appear as if they negotiate salaries or maybe I misread it. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I once heard that there was someone who was happy at Amgen.

 

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of happy people at Amgen. Keep in mind that CafePharma generally is an avenue for disgruntled and unhappy people to express their thoughts and feelings.

There are many great things about Amgen, and of course, many things that people may not like. The work can be very challenging - those that state that their work is mindless may simply not be in the right position any longer. As with any company, there are product life cycles that do require the leadership to reset the board, hence the existence of expense management, headcount reductions (as well as hiring), etc. Our products are valuable to patients, we get paid a very good wage, our benefits are tremendous, and if you have skill sets outside of your work area, you can find avenues to put those to work.

Unhappy people complain. They complain about their job, they complain about their manager, they complain about executive leadership, they complain about pay, they complain about anything that makes them feel that they are being wronged. These unhappy people need to change the environment that makes them unhappy - change jobs, change company, change attitude, or dare if I say so, effect change on the elements that make them unhappy.

People complain the company/manager/leadership sucks but don't do anything about it - these people turn into a disease that needs to be cut out. Certainly there are people that do end up in working for someone they do not respect or like and that can cause problems. This is not specific to Amgen. What really is a shame that too many people are afraid to make changes to find happiness.

Amgen certainly isn't the same company it was 10 years ago - it is better and worse. The company evolves as it must. I for one do not like how my function is run at the EVP and SVP level. But I enjoy working for my manager and the two successive layers above him. Take the good and bad.

Great company, great management scattered throughout the company, great products. Also a company without problems - just like everywhere else. The grass sure looks greener on the other side to me sometimes, but it's an illusion. I have heard MANY more times from people that left the company that wished they hadn't.

Good luck to you.

Um...no...you can be happy in life and still express displeasure with the way things are at Amgen. Now, you call it complaining, and lots of people do that too. However, to say that this a great company with great managers is laughable. I know of no one who left who regrets it. Even if they were RIF'd. So, whether or not you are an HR troll or some other troll is still in question. So, which is it?

 

[Anonymous]

Whereas I believe your post is good, I do not believe anywhere near the majority of people are happy at Amgen. Good benefits, fairly good pay, but a highly volatile working atmosphere with lots of uncertainty and misdirection. Certainly ACO, which went from nearly 1800 people to 400 and dwindling, ARI with 1700 down to 800, not to mention the cuts in AWA and ADL.............the vast majority of the Amgen people are now ex-Amgenites. Of those, at least here in the East........many have gotten better jobs with more pay and in the fields that they were actually trained for. Amgen has a penchant of sticking people where they feel like, not necessarily related to the person's abilities or wants. It was a great company and still has some great people in it, but for most people now it is just a pay check. Although the staff continues working at an insane and frantic pace, we are really just paddling water and waiting for the inevitable VTP or RIF. I think only Amgen could require its employees to remain 'professional' even while you are training your replacements in another country who will eliminate your job. It seems a bit cruel these days.

I, too, think most are happy here. I am. It's a great Company.

 

[Anonymous]

The key is manager, if he is good the rest is easy. This is true of Genentech one of the companies BS is every employee deserve a great manager why is that? They have some managers totally a waste of space.

Genentech does a great job marketing itself and giving money to every employee to spend in the local town. They also have a website for employees to submit ideas and the employee gets rewarded.

Also Genentech copied Amgen Bravo program and called it applause.

 

[Anonymous]

Ha Ha The Amgen Bravo plan. It has supposedly been here for many years and after the first year I have not seen anyone get any financial incentives, ever. In fact it is rare that the "applause" i.e. "atta boy" (no money)award is given out. You'll get more unofficial 'thank yous' from your fellow employees than any acknowledgements you will ever from Management( who usually review and cancel it), especially at ARI where pushing productivity is the rule, demanded...or you are lead out the door. You are more likely to get that rare acknowledgment from ATO or ACO over an in house "thank you" . Maybe the other sites do Bravos, we really don't at ARI..........We get team building where we stick spaghetti into marshmallows to make towers, or balance nails on each other or do some other low budget stupidity...............

 

[Anonymous]

Define happy

Decent money : check
Decent retirement benefits: check
Decent vacation: check
Decent flexibility: check

Bog down in process horse crap: check
Growth opportunity within: inexistant or rare
Feel like big pharma: check


To me the top 4 things mean something, however, the bottom 3 things is what will prevent overall company growth as well as internal growth so there comes a point you have to decide on what is best for you.

 

[Anonymous]

I am happy at Amgen. I am anxious as hell, given all the chatter here and in the hallways, but here there is always such a stink of bullshit you can never tell what's what. I am in R&D, so that might make a difference. I am paid very well, I have earned good ratings, and despite what's said above, I rake in those Bravos.

ACO, ARI are monolithic--I have nothing to do with them and I know no one who has anything to do with them. They should probably have their own board here they are so off on their own.