Pros
Dedicated coworkers who do their best despite increasingly difficult conditions.
Cons
The return-to-office policy is a prime example of leadership being out of touch with today's workforce. Rather than embracing flexibility that has become standard across much of the industry, management has doubled down on an outdated approach that appears to be driving employees away rather than encouraging engagement. Attrition has become a serious problem. Experienced employees continue to leave, taking years of institutional knowledge with them. The organization does not appear capable of replacing talent at a pace that keeps up with departures, leaving teams understaffed and forcing remaining employees to absorb additional responsibilities. Instead of contemplating ways to fix this problem, HR is trying to conceptualize an incentive to get employees to leave positive glass door reviews to aid in recruitment. (So keep an eye out for a flood of positive reviews, they may be up to something) Employee morale is among the lowest I have seen. There is a widespread feeling that leadership, particularly the CEO, is more focused on enforcing policies than understanding the impact those decisions have on employees. Employee well-being often feels like an afterthought. Compensation for technical professionals is significantly below market rates (about 30% for my particular area of expertise). The expectation seems to be that employees will accept below-market salaries while taking on increasing workloads. This may have worked in the past when the company culture and benefits were above average, but it doesn't work anymore. Annual raises are insufficient and do not keep pace with inflation or the rising cost of living. Employees effectively experience a decrease in purchasing power year after year. Benefits are no longer competitive. What may have once distinguished the company from other employers in the biotech and laboratory industry has largely disappeared as competitors have improved their offerings and ARUP's have deteriorated Staffing shortages, low compensation, and rigid workplace policies create a cycle that makes retention increasingly difficult. TLDR: Overall This company appears to be losing valuable employees because of decisions that prioritize control and cost savings over retention, flexibility, and employee satisfaction. The loss of institutional knowledge is becoming increasingly visible, while compensation and benefits fail to provide a compelling reason to stay. Unless leadership changes course, I believe recruitment and retention challenges will continue to worsen.
