Merck reviews

4.1

83% would recommend to a friend

(6,151 total reviews)
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Rob Davis

82% approve of CEO

71% positive business outlook

Merck has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 6,151 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Merck 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

6K reviews
2.0
Jul 11, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They pay reasonably well. In areas not outsourced, there is much challenging work to do.

Cons

Have been a Merck a long time and the company has changed dramatically. Most significant change is in Sr. management. When I started, we had 5 or 6 VPs. Today there are 320+. Of course the increase in VPs can be accounted for when Merck went through a tremendous growth spell in the nineties. However in the last five years, we have been through multiple layoffs. But the layoffs did not impact Sr. management. They just keep on growing. There have been so many mishaps just in the last couple of years but there seem to be no consequences at the top -- just the worker bees feel the impact and lower level management. I use to be so proud to work for Merck -- I knew so many outstanding people with the highest level of ethics. It is sad to see where we are today.

3.0
Feb 10, 2026

Merck

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It’s a big company, so there’s a lot of networking opportunities, especially with those who leave the company.

Cons

Favoritism. If you kiss up, you’ll move up faster. Doesn’t matter how much you know, it’s who you brown nose to.

1.0
Jul 31, 2025

Do not recommend

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

While there is a lot of variety in the work, and opportunities to learn new skills

Cons

The work environment is extremely toxic, with a culture that unfortunately encourages bullying rather than fostering a collaborative or supportive atmosphere. There is no support from senior management, leaving employees to feel isolated and unsupported in the workplace. The team dynamic is largely based on finger-pointing and blaming, rather than constructive feedback or training. This creates a high-pressure, stressful environment where learning and personal development are not prioritized. On top of this, the physical environment is far from ideal. There is no on-site canteen, and a break room which is too small for the number of employees making it difficult to relax during breaks which can lead to feelings of exhaustion and burnout. Overall, the combination of a toxic culture, lack of support, and constant stress makes it difficult to recommend this job to anyone looking for a positive and healthy workplace.

Viewing 127 - 129 of 6,151 Reviews

Glassdoor has 8,162 Merck reviews submitted anonymously by Merck employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Merck is right for you.