A Good Thing Turned Bad - Anonymous employee Lonza Employee Review

2.0
Jul 22, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Health benefits, time-off policies, and tuition reimbursement are good, probably above average. The bonus plan use to be good, the payout was driven significantly by individual performance, now individual performance is a very small part. Perhaps the employee stock option purchase opportunity makes up for the bonus plan change. If I only had the outlay of cash needed to purchase the stock. Some managers are the best, hands down. They are experts in their field/business, not afraid to share their knowledge and develop others. They are not biased by race or gender.

Cons

Company talk is great, actual environment does not mirror the company line. A higher percentage of opportunities are given to employees accepted by "club members". Too many decisions are consensus based which stifles operations at times. Employee morale is very low since Arch was acquired by Lonza. There is a lack of trust and fear of job loss. Lots of back stabbing and CYA actions. A lot of changes in leadership have occurred with more pre-acquisition Lonza employees getting leadership roles bypassing more qualified former Arch employee(s). In some instances the pre-acquisition Lonza employee has zero knowledge or experience in the area they are now leading… go figure. Morale is very low among the former Arch employees. Lots of disappointment with the former Arch executive leadership team. They could have left a great legacy in a strong and growing company, the gratitude of hard working, dedicated employees and still received lots of money without devastating the lives of many former employees. shame on you...

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Pros

Diverse opportunities across departments as one wanted

Cons

Provide decent pay and benefits

4.0
May 14, 2026
Recommend
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Pros

Lots to learn about producing API's via fermentation in bioreactors. Lots of room for career growth towards other departments and positions, from the business to the research. Good pay and lots of benefits are offered, such as dental, vision, and medical insurance; they also have a weight-loss program that I'm taking advantage of. Quality is prioritized, so there is no pressure to learn quickly, work faster, or meet quotas to do a good job. Teams are reliable, especially when learning the ropes; they'd be a part of the job I'd miss most if I leave.

Cons

Take careful consideration and be transparent with the supervisors if you're still exploring, as it's not an entry-level job that can hire and train new people at a fast pace all the time (I'm comparing this to retail and fast-food places, though). I live an hour away and work night shift, 7 pm to 7 am, thus the total amount of hours away from home is 14 hours. Please consider your mental endurance as well as your physical endurance for the night shift, as this job requires you to be on your feet, think critically, and can challenge one's work-home life balance.

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