I read a lot of what seems like sour grapes on here (so and so is an idiot, this place sucks, they are a bunch of criminals, etc.), but for those who are interested I think I can provide a fairly factual assessment of life at Smith and Nephew.
I have been working here for a few years, and have also worked at a variety of other companies (big, small, well run, poorly run). I'm also one of those "crappy" middle-managers that you all are so fond of bashing
Also, I work in recon so I can't really comment on the other GBU's.
The following are what I consider to be un-biased assessments (and I'll try not to call anybody out:
1- Overall Organization: I have worked for companies that are extremely well run and also at ones that are a real mess. Those that are a mess at least knew it and realized that help was needed, where the problem with Smith and Nephew is that the senior executives seem arrogant and blind to the fact that the company is a mess. I'm hopeful that Gaurav can help things (he seems like a very capable person) but I've noticed that those he manages are really playing games and manipulating his perceptions. Hopefully he'll see the truth, but I doubt it because I'm seeing information be filtered which will make it hard for him to make good decisions.
2- How people are valued: As manager knows, the key to an organization's success is its people. Generally, Smith and Nephew just doesn't seem to understand this. At the highest level there is a President who pounds his fists, uses profanity, and generally intimidates everybody around him. Then there are other senior executives who barely even recognize that you exist (at least with DeVivo you know where you stand). For example, I have never once been given any praise or positive feedback (nor have I received any negative feedback), which I think is a terrible way to manage people. Also, there is absolutely no career coaching or guidance.
Also, imagine how it feels to be a top performer and yet at the same time be told that the maximimum merit-based pay raise is 2 or 3%. And then in the next breath learn that the company is spending multi-millions of dollars to host a golf tournament, buya new building, etc. It feels like the company is giving you the middle finger, and it certainly doesn't inspire one to work hard. Combine this with the fact that there are no pats on the back, positive feedback, etc. I've discussed this with MANY of my co-workers and it is a common feeling, so I know that it isn't just me.
3- Advancement Opportunities: With there being no coaching, no feedback, etc. you might ask how one advances, what it is based on, etc. This is a very good question, and I myself am still trying to figure it out. What I DO know is that it doesn't seem to be based on performance, talent, quality of work, etc. For example, the leader of the knee franchise is notorious for his "playing favorites" (the story is that he himself doesn't have a very good background in marketing, development, etc. and so he surrounds himself with people who aren't going to expose those weaknesses). I can't imagine it is conscious, but it is still the way it is.
4- Strategy: I am not stretching the truth when I say that this companies strategy and priorities change every 6 months (or sooner). I kid you not!
5- Integrity: This is one area where I find myself very disappointed in certain people. I often find that information/facts are manipulated to serve one's career aspirations, that surgeon consultants are engaged for reasons that are shady, etc. For example, one of my co-workers came to me in confidence and told me that he/she was essentially instructed to manipulate the data on the Visionaire program so that it would appear to be making a larger impact on sales than is really the case. Another example is with a co-worker who came to me in confidence and told me that he/she was feeling tremendous consulting to make a surgeon a consultant even though this surgeon wasn't very qualified for the role (but the surgeon was a very high-dollar target). I've actually heard of this sort of thing happening several times.
6- A positive aspect of the company (from some of the employee's perspectives) is that there's decent job security. In my years here I've found it VERY rare that anybody looses his/her job. Because there's so little accountability, you have to really screw up in a majore way to lose your job. This can be very comforting in this economic climate.
I've probably said enough, so I'll let you put this in your pipe and smoke it for a while.
I have been working here for a few years, and have also worked at a variety of other companies (big, small, well run, poorly run). I'm also one of those "crappy" middle-managers that you all are so fond of bashing
Also, I work in recon so I can't really comment on the other GBU's.The following are what I consider to be un-biased assessments (and I'll try not to call anybody out:
1- Overall Organization: I have worked for companies that are extremely well run and also at ones that are a real mess. Those that are a mess at least knew it and realized that help was needed, where the problem with Smith and Nephew is that the senior executives seem arrogant and blind to the fact that the company is a mess. I'm hopeful that Gaurav can help things (he seems like a very capable person) but I've noticed that those he manages are really playing games and manipulating his perceptions. Hopefully he'll see the truth, but I doubt it because I'm seeing information be filtered which will make it hard for him to make good decisions.
2- How people are valued: As manager knows, the key to an organization's success is its people. Generally, Smith and Nephew just doesn't seem to understand this. At the highest level there is a President who pounds his fists, uses profanity, and generally intimidates everybody around him. Then there are other senior executives who barely even recognize that you exist (at least with DeVivo you know where you stand). For example, I have never once been given any praise or positive feedback (nor have I received any negative feedback), which I think is a terrible way to manage people. Also, there is absolutely no career coaching or guidance.
Also, imagine how it feels to be a top performer and yet at the same time be told that the maximimum merit-based pay raise is 2 or 3%. And then in the next breath learn that the company is spending multi-millions of dollars to host a golf tournament, buya new building, etc. It feels like the company is giving you the middle finger, and it certainly doesn't inspire one to work hard. Combine this with the fact that there are no pats on the back, positive feedback, etc. I've discussed this with MANY of my co-workers and it is a common feeling, so I know that it isn't just me.
3- Advancement Opportunities: With there being no coaching, no feedback, etc. you might ask how one advances, what it is based on, etc. This is a very good question, and I myself am still trying to figure it out. What I DO know is that it doesn't seem to be based on performance, talent, quality of work, etc. For example, the leader of the knee franchise is notorious for his "playing favorites" (the story is that he himself doesn't have a very good background in marketing, development, etc. and so he surrounds himself with people who aren't going to expose those weaknesses). I can't imagine it is conscious, but it is still the way it is.
4- Strategy: I am not stretching the truth when I say that this companies strategy and priorities change every 6 months (or sooner). I kid you not!
5- Integrity: This is one area where I find myself very disappointed in certain people. I often find that information/facts are manipulated to serve one's career aspirations, that surgeon consultants are engaged for reasons that are shady, etc. For example, one of my co-workers came to me in confidence and told me that he/she was essentially instructed to manipulate the data on the Visionaire program so that it would appear to be making a larger impact on sales than is really the case. Another example is with a co-worker who came to me in confidence and told me that he/she was feeling tremendous consulting to make a surgeon a consultant even though this surgeon wasn't very qualified for the role (but the surgeon was a very high-dollar target). I've actually heard of this sort of thing happening several times.
6- A positive aspect of the company (from some of the employee's perspectives) is that there's decent job security. In my years here I've found it VERY rare that anybody looses his/her job. Because there's so little accountability, you have to really screw up in a majore way to lose your job. This can be very comforting in this economic climate.
I've probably said enough, so I'll let you put this in your pipe and smoke it for a while.