I don't normally leave negative reviews but my time at Exact was more of a rollercoaster than I had hoped for. On the surface, they try to lure you in with the fruit on display, but much like the fruit, once you look closer, you see it's rotting. The reality behind the scenes is less appealing.
The management team seems to be missing the memo on proper training and support. When it came to those critical exams, where everyone failed due to a lack of proper training, the blame was unfairly shifted to the scientists. Promises of growth and shadowing opportunities turned out to be threats, designed to keep people from leaving but were all lies.
The leadership's attitude is cause for concern. Instead of addressing critical staff shortages or safety concerns, they would opt for pizza runs, leaving us hanging. The workplace vibe? Sexist remarks and an overall lack of respect. Being constantly addressed as "hey you" didn't exactly contribute to a positive atmosphere. Women were shamed significantly more for dress code violations than the men.
My journey at Exact left me feeling overworked, underappreciated, and frankly, quite disillusioned. I'm not alone in this sentiment—several colleagues are taking legal action. If you're considering joining, it's essential to know the highs come with their fair share of lows. It was an abusive workplace in so many ways. I have seen wonderful coworkers be lied to, coming in with so much hope, only to end up defeated and hopeless. I never realized how toxic this job was until I got a new job that is healthy. Now, at my new job, I am so happy. I understand what it is like to be treated well, feel safe, and be appreciated. Please do yourself a favor and do not work in the lab at Exact. I knew many people who would train at Exact and then leave before starting the job because it was so bad. Working conditions are extremely unsanitary—there would be feces on the floor, often outside the lab. Scientists were promised they would never have to do specimen processing and then lied to and forced to do it, yet leadership would not even help! I was told to clean a busted trash bag, the trash can being filled with a large amount of liquid and feces. When I asked for more PPE than just a thin lab coat (that gets soaked easily) and thin plastic gloves, leadership laughed at me and said they have to go and that I will be fine. I saw a coworker be trained how to do something wrong by leadership; they spilled chemicals all over themselves and almost had to go to the ER and were blamed for the mistake. There was a problem with one of the instruments in the lab, and my coworker got feces squirted in their face. No one was given PTO to go see a doctor. They keep free coffee everywhere and cold brew which seems amazing but is just a way to get everyone addicted and to work more than is healthy. Please protect yourself and your wellbeing. There are many other companies with better conditions.
