Market leader but with simplistic vision - Anonymous employee Lonza Employee Review

2.0
Apr 27, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- good team and cooperative colleagues - good support from the direct manager - working conditions ok

Cons

- no real upper management vision; simplistic understanding of the working context/market; - very narrow minded and not willing to change; no international mentality; - focus only on reducing the costs and increasing the share price value; - no interest in scientific value creation or sustainability for the existing products; - innovation not encouraged because it is too expensive; - salaries bellow average; because of the newly implemented Gauss curve concept, no possibility to have a salary raise. The concept "defines" that less than 10% of the employee should have a salary raise; if you are working in a team with less than 10 persons, then this will never happen. The mediocrity is welcomed because it would fit in the rest of 90% remaining and it is cheaper. Excellence is not the focus since too expensive. - quality of products in free fall; expectations higher and higher; - not a motivating nor inspiring working environment.

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5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Diverse opportunities across departments as one wanted

Cons

Provide decent pay and benefits

2.0
Jun 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Compensation (for higher level associates/senior management positions)

Cons

1) Work/life balance - leaders don't honor paid time off. Many teams expect you to be available during paid time off periods 2) Benefits - employer doesn't offer employer-subsidized vision insurance 3) Holidays - employer doesn't offer MLK Day and Juneteeth as paid days off, indicating how little they value diversity, inclusion, and belonging 4) Promotions - political; not based on merit 5) Mandated 5 day return-to-office to enable "in person collaboration" while at the same time offshoring jobs to cheaper markets. 6) PTO - based on tenure, but I think Lonza prefers high turnover so they don't have to give people time off (if they even honor it in the first place - see con 1) 7) Lack of harmonization - for an established CDMO, I was surprised at the level of misalignment between sites and the lack of standardization of processes

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