Mass exodus from oncology

In the last month there has been a mass exodus from both heme and solid tumor but more so solid tumor. What is going on? Seems it all started when JP left.

 

you must be new here.

 

It's really simple actually. Some will smirk at my answer as to why people are leaving but it's true. The reason people are leaving is that this company has been infiltrated by GSK. In every way. From the leadership we have allowed in, the "big pharma" mentality, and the toxic culture. Plain and simple, we are GSK. GSK has a long history of poor decisions and unethical behavior. They do not have a "specialty" mentality. They only know primary care and that's what they manage to.They are the perfect example of insanity. Repeating the same behaviors and expecting a different outcome. How's our stock price been over the last 15 years? Who had the largest CIA agreement ever given to a pharmaceutical company? Who was the only pharmaceutical company to put a "Patient First" incentive plan in place? Which large pharmaceutical company has had more layoffs to its salesforce in the last 20 years? The answer is the same to all of those questions. The problem is not the rank and file employee. The problem is leadership. Think about your FLL. How long have they been in that role? How many of these FLL's are ever placed on a PIP? Statistically it's impossible that field based leaders could be that good at what they do. Impossible! Yet, the company allows the toxicity to remain. I could go on and on and on. But you want to know why people are leaving? That's why.

 

Wow too bad to hear. Some in heme worked at Celgene and appeared to be happy. Or simply complacent?

 

very true. Also this group has been sold the idea that we were going to operate like a small biotech. If you believed that you are a little off in the head or new to this industry. Big pharma is always big pharma. There is no direction here and decisions are made in a vacuum by people who don’t really understand how oncology works. So many mess ups this year that could have been avoided, but here we are. More will leave soon enough. But hey that’s what they want. Access is bad but sales are good if not better. What does that mean? No need for sales, start looking everybody.

 

So true! The worst part about it is that sales leadership needs reps. Without them their roles do not exist. Rather than treating your necessary human resource with respect, they look to find fault at every turn. Unrealistic call metrics, verbatim detailing, and outlandish sales goals that benefit some but hurt others. GSK has managed to screw up everything they touch. Why should we expect anything different?

 

Not just commercial either... look at the entire oncology organization. What will turn this around?

 

More to come...very soon.

 

What about Oncology R&D, are employees bailing? I thought things were settling down.

 

You were right...what a mess this place is. The good Tesaro folks have left and the ones who have stayed...well let’s just say there is a reason...they are not the good ones and no one wants to hire them. They are stuck here. I know for a fact all the remaining managers and reps have been interviewing with anyone and everyone...TG, ADC, Exelixis...the good ones got hired away. The losers did not. So once again we are left with the misfits that no one wants. Great!

 

This is the GSK culture to a tee! Micro-manage, top-down leadership, arrogant egotistical leadership, hyper focus on meaningless metrics and an inability to identify and keep top talent. This is not an exaggeration. This is GSK's culture. It's palpable. If you think you are going to escape this toxicity by going into Oncology or any other specialty division that GSK runs, you are sadly mistaken. I'm one of those with the golden handcuffs and at the end of my career. While I have made a descent living here, it came with a cost. Where I saw myself question my ethics on a daily basis. When I spoke up about issues that concerned me, I was quickly shut down and labeled. Learned early on to keep my mouth shut. Unrealistic call averages, patient first, coco, etc. So very very sad.

 

Nucala BU is exactly the same!!!

 

This!!! Spot on...happy for the Tesaro folks who got out. I did and I haven't been this happy since the buyout. GSK exemplifies all that is wrong with the commercial side of our business. It's like we are operating in a primary care time warp in the 90's. Results do not matter as much as the process, the politics, the optics, and the metrics. While biotech's have left this thinking behind years ago GSK still clings to it and it is a culture killer for sure. Get out as soon as you can!

 

The Vaccine Business Unit the same

 

I heard a lot of the director level folks are all trying to get out

 

If they haven't been able to get out with the 5 major hem/onc start up build-outs recently there is a reason for it. If you are a Tesaro manager or rep and are still at GSK it's because you suck and no one wanted you...this is all you have now...better get used to it. All the good ones got out by now...

 

If you haven't figured it out by now let me state the obvious, GSK's culture is is one of the worst in the industry. The leadership has been wanting for decades. Here are a few of the recent hits. Andrew Witty focusing on high volume low margin products in 3rd world countries, Jack Bailey unwillingness to negotiate an Advair Health Net contract costing the company hundreds of millions of dollars, Deirdre's Patient First system where reps were rated on impossible testing and hostile work contacts, and of course the infamous coco brought to you by current leadership. The hits keep coming with outrageous call activity metrics and out of reach sales goals. Throw in inept field managers and you have GSK. Listen, it's a job. It pays well and offers great perks and benefits. But it comes at the cost of your dignity. Lies upon lies upon lies. They lie to us and we lie to them. A vicious circle that has been created in order to justify our and their existence. A house of cards. Feel bad for the original Tesaro reps. Almost any other parma company would have been better.

 

One of the oncology departees here. Looked for around 6 months, wanted to be sure the jump had long term potential (pipeline) and a good culture, so took time, even turned down offers. Observations - almost all recruiters know about GSK culture, so no need for awkward “why are you leaving” conversations, tons of jobs though more competitive than pre-covid, found more transparency with other companies about their strengths and weaknesses, found MUCH better healthcare and salary/bonus, more covid-related adjustments. It’s nice to be a part of a team again where kindness and humility are a part of culture.

 

The micromanagement is insane. CompNies that live process over results are going to fail. Sad this seemed like a good place to be.

 

If I managed an employee that wrote sentences like this I would micromanage them too:

CompNies that live process over results are going to fail