Happy Holidays Fellow Merckies, Merckers, Merckoids, and the Like!

We've all survived another challenging year and I'd just like to remind all of you to remember and implement what we all read in Gung Ho. In keeping with the spirit of the squirrel, let us all strive to envision the worthwhileness of our work, no matter what our function within Merck may be. This helps us see the meaningfulness of our jobs.

Let's remember to all work like beavers, with diligence and focus in getting our job's tasks completed, without needing our supervisors hovering over us, dictating what needs to be done. (hint-hint managers....) In so doing we must have the freedom to use our best judgment in doing our jobs. (again, hint-hint managers....)

And finally, may we all enjoy the gift of a good goose in getting our jobs done. Nothing motivates me more than to receive encouragement from my manager and peers about the job I am doing and having the apprehension of someone's hand sliding up my ass. Of course, we are all to reciprocate in order for the gift of the good goose to be effective!

Happy New Year everyone - it can't get any worse.

 

The way my year has gone, about the only gift I'll get this month is a goose, and it won't be the kind you can eat, either.

 

OK then, not so happy holidays fellow Merck folk. In any case, be well.

 

Get prepared! The forced ranking that is slated for Monday will make many an investor happy.

 

Gift of the goose at Merck as in cheering on your fellow employees and colleagues? No way. This is the most cutthroat environment that I've ever worked in. I trust nobody and am tired of getting backstabbed by supposed friends. Bullshit!

 

Happy holidaze to all and enjoy your time off. As a job share, I have been on holiday break since June.

 

I guess you have never had another paying job. Get off the self pity! If you don't like the challenging environment please leave we only desire winners in this company not losers.

 

Then why is the durham site full of losers?

 

Bah, Humbug! Are there no work houses? Are there no prisons?

Scrooge

 

No Jackass, Believe me when I tell you I have worked in tougher environments like the middle east. However the OP was pointing out that Merck culture is one of throw your buddy under the bus just so you can keep your job during the next round of layoffs. My boss told me one female in particular would "stand on your head to keep hers above water" Sound familiar? Another "friend" was used by my Manager to help me out of the company. I am not angry about it, it is just fact. I was high tenure and highly compensated, so I was a prime candidate. The bottom line is the morale of the PC sales force is at the lowest I have ever seen. I can only hope Merck can get back to what it once was.

 

This must be the words of someone that made the algorithmic cuts. Minority? Broad? Low salary? #ImAMillenialPleaseLookAtMe?

 

Happily, the fate of many many PC reps will be decided on Monday during the forced rankings. Termination is the end point.

 

It was one thing to work at Merck when we enjoyed a great reputation based on merit and qualified recognition, most admired corp and such. Indeed, I felt like a winner to have received a job offer from Merck in 1980. Merck's reputation now is so putrid that I'd question calling anyone a "winner" who still works at the place.

 

It is sad how much it has changed. I was working at Lilly in the early 80's and the Head of the FDA came to speak. He told us that Merck was the pharma company the FDA admired the most. The communications, reports, and presentations Merck gave to the FDA were accurate, meticulous, and timely. Back then, everyone wanted to work for Merck.

 

Oh yes, I remember hearing the same thing about our relationship with the FDA and how our quality control was at the top of the industry. Then we got the assholes in the 90's who decided that we needed to become like Pfizer. Too bad this translated into a net gain of Pfizer's negatives and little if anything at all positive to come from this strategy. Giving up the R & D powerhouse moniker in exchange for a pharmaceutical marketing power has been a colossal failure. Which came first- loss of positive creative culture or loss of great reputation at Merck?

 

Doesn't matter. What matters is how one must deal with Merck today. I think the best way is from a distance, the farther the distance, the better off one will be.

 

I think the torture of this place has led to very close friendships. Some of the friendships I have are by-products of being in the fox holes together and watching each other's back. It is one way to stay employed at merck.

I have seen many times the dirtiest get killed off first. It all depends on who is in charge.

 

So true. If you're lucky with who is in charge throughout the course of your career and have a small cadre of solids, you might just be able to make it. I prefer not to be dependent however, on getting lucky with superiors and have my luck run out by winding up with some dufus who THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, targets me, the higher paid older rep for dismissal. I saw that happen far to often at Merck to some very good and decent reps. So I exited mother on my terms with no regrets, believing the corporation was never going to be a good employer again.

 

This thread is an important "wake-up" call to all of us. Living in the past is a dangerous place to be. Where is Merck today, and more importantly...where will Merck be tomorrow?? When you know the answer to this question, you will know what decisions to make that will be best for you and your family. Trust only yourself and your instincts. You are your own best advocate. What is YOUR career action plan?? This is the time of year for reflection, make it count.