Biogen reviews

3.8

69% would recommend to a friend

(2,048 total reviews)
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Christopher A. Viehbacher

73% approve of CEO

52% positive business outlook

Biogen has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 2,048 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Biogen employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Farmacéutica y biotecnología industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
2.0
Aug 28, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I loved my coworkers and the other midlevel people were brilliant and authentic. When I started at Biogen, it was the happiest time of my career. Unfortunately, my team was shielded from what was happening across the company by both location, and a former (amazing) leader who left in mid January, 2019.

Cons

Although we were shielded from the culture of "compete with your peers and win at all costs" for the first year I was employed, that changed as leaders left and were replaced with people who fit the cut throat, loose ethics environment that has been creeping in over the last several years. Because of the reputation that Biogen has made for itself in recent years (fearing the CEO and other leaders), top talent has been hard to attract and retain. As a result, there are many process-oriented, tedious leaders in place who have never been in roles of that magnitude. Instead of listening, or asking for advice they forge ahead not understanding the big picture, and not willing to learn. When things go wrong, it's a race to cover it up so that the CEO doesn't find out, regardless of the impact to the business. This is "fake it till you make it" on speed. In the past 3 months, there became pressure to turn against each other for personal gain and to be dishonest to win points with senior leaders. There was also pressure to not speak up about wrong doing if you wanted to gain a promotion or favor internally. As an ambitious person, this was a tremendous challenge of character, and an amazing experience that taught me about who I am as a person and what I am willing or not willing to do for success. I made the right choice.

1.0
Jun 30, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cadillac benefits. Substantial pay (for those who have been with company 5years+ before pay dropped)

Cons

Patient services within Biogen seems to be largely disconnected from the rest of the company. the president and vp truly control EVERYTHING. Work life balance is nonexistent and there is constant pressure to work overtime hours simply because leadership sets unrealistic goals and expectations. There is no transparency and policies are very subjective to the deferment of employees. Employees are afraid to speak up, disagree with manage my without fear of backlash and blackballing. employees are treated like elementary school students meaning you have to code yourself to be able to use bathroom take breaks or eat lunch. You can be questioned for any bathroom use that is considers 'excessive'. Employees are penalized for taking time from work to care for themselves and their family. Wonder vacation benefits but senior leadership has right threshold of how many people can be off a day. Many have lost days of vacation time because of this. Builds wrong behaviors in people because of unrealistic attendance policy. No work from home opportunities unless it is to the advantage of the business. Culture is based on fear and entirely different than corporate and manufacturing departments. Other than great benefits no real incentive to work there. Growth in patient services is nonexistent as managers demand that employees use their vacation or work overtime for any development or job shadowing opportunities. Senior managers is system that promotes bullying and intimidation. Employees are held accountable to departmental goals and metrics that change throughout the year without communication. Patient services seems to have lost its purpose and line of sight. It has gone from a company that truly cared about patients on Biogen therapies to that of hustling tactics to get patients to switch from other medication to Biogen therapies and pressuring them to stay on a bygone medication. It is ALL about the bottom line. Goal seems to be to get one person to work as 3 individuals. Did I mention NO WORK LIFE BALANCE! Would rather employees to work 6days a week simply because management does not how to delegate. Promotions are not based on experience and skill set but rather who knows and if they like you. Very high school environment where popularity and who you know is the only way to move up the ladder. In conclusion, if you are looking for an employer who does not value your work, overlooks you from promotions, expects you to live at work, penalizes you for not coming to work when you or family member is sick, requires you to provide calculation of time used away for bathroom use and lunch use, does not allow you to use vacation hours, pushes for you to work on company holidays, operates on bully system and cowardly coaching, views being late to work 1min the same as 4hrs and gives out demerits for it, no work from home opportunists, no transparency, tyrannical rule, and a strong disconnect of what employees do then working at Patient Services with Biogen is just for you.

2.0
Dec 15, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Biogen is an Innovative company, has a strong commitment to science; offers generous benefits; and places a premium on employee safety.

Cons

High degree of instability; CEO is a tyrant and has diverted the organization from its traditional mission; Biogen used to be a rewarding place to work and fostered an environment that welcomed new ideas; under current CEO, employees live in constant fear and survival seems to be the sole focus.

Viewing 7 - 9 of 2,048 Reviews

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