Roche is transforming, but not for the better - Permanent Employee Roche Employee Review

2.0
21 Jul 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Meaningful work. If there's one standout thing about the company, it's that the majority of employees are genuinely committed to improving health care around the world.

Cons

The Roche leadership approach is going "back to the future" -- that is, the leadership teams are increasingly white, middle-aged, German speaking men. The CEO has even told employees that the company can't find qualified women applicants (nonsense). For all the talk (and there is a lot of it) about transforming the company for the future, it's not going to get there with the current leadership mindset. Office politics have gotten worse than ever. Turnover is increasing sharply, as people are either pushed out or leave because they can't take the politics anymore. Almost every department is restructuring with layoffs. Middle management is poor. The speak-up culture is on paper only. Try it in the real world and you'll see how quickly you get penalised for it. Women are fast disappearing from leadership positions. The ridiculous and counter-productive emphasis on speaking German for global roles when German speaking is not remotely necessary. It only promotes more cronyism among the white, German-speaking middle-aged men running the company. Diversity and inclusion have been thrown under the bus. Roles are being downgraded with lower salaries and bonuses. At global headquarters, it's almost impossible to advance without being a native or near-native German speaker, even if German is only marginally related to the actual job HR is not there to help you. Ever. Substandard IT tools and technology

Explore other reviews about Roche

5.0
11 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Supportive, friendly, growth oriented, food

Cons

Not many, I generally liked it

3.0
4 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellent Employee Benefits and beautiful facilities

Cons

As a seasoned quality professional I could not recommend enough that you stay far away from this company. The entire Global Quality program is run on gaslighting. Procedures are vague and cryptic and the management solution is always to just copy and paste from another site. You will be told to "speak up" and its an open and collaborative environment, but that could not be further from the truth. Roche is a toxic environment that is run by cliques that pick and choose who gets to succeed. If you dare to speak up you're targeted and ostracized. If you want to succeed there you just need to nod head in agreement and try to follow the cryptic task that is gonna set you up for failure anyway. Success is completely contingent on how well you gossip and politic. The "Branchberg Mafia" is run on emotions and direction will change day to day depending on how leadership feels that day. Again I recommend looking somewhere else if you're looking to make an impact and enjoy a challenge. If you enjoy being a sheep or like weak and emotional management. This is the place for you.

2
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