An honest insider post, the REAL future at GSK.....

I was not sure what to think of this post when I first read it. However, talking to a couple of people I know at the home office........these rumors about a second lay off have been floating around.

I would say the information presented here has a fair amount of reliability.........

 

ITA! There are some dimwits here, but much of this late info has seemed to be correct. I've heard more layoffs in June of 08. How miserable will this place be to work for any survivors? It will suck bigtime and be a horrible gig.

 

Going forward things are going to be much worse. I have been told that...

If your call average does not amount to the criteria set by the RVP/DM = coaching letter.

If you have two consecutive bad quarters on your primary product = coaching letter.

and the scariest of all; if you do not improve on a winning practice deficiency set forth by your manager on a ride along = coaching letter. (This is where they will weed out who they do not want).

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TODAY TO MAKE YOU FEEL PROUD!

 

OK....enough is enough....I AM a senior leader in this company and I can tell you that the contents of the are not true.

In fact, I'd love for the original poster of this message to provide more detail. For example, what room do we meet in? Go ahead and answer. That is a simple question that will not disclose your identity. Or, please since you know the plans, please let us know the departments that will be closed in both RTP or Philly.

I simply want to remove the validity of the original post as it is not true. Thanks.

 

I'm not understanding your complaint? The company wants employees to MEET expectations and if they don't they want DM's to provide coaching memos.

Call average below expectations - work harder

two bad quarters in a row - sell more. Most SALES organizations place you on warning if you don't meet goal for two quarters in a row. If you don't think it's within your control then why do we need YOU. Sure it's a lot of pressure but if you can't handle it you might want to consider leaving sales.

Improve upon your abilities - How can you improve if you receive feedback and just keep doing the same shit over and over? DM's been telling you to use a reprint during your last work trip and today you didn't use it once. What do you think should happen?

You people are only complaining because NOW you feel you are going to be held responsible when it should have been this way all along.

 

Tough guy. You are not going to remove the cloud of 2008 layoffs in anyone's mind until they get some products approved. Make something happen to make us proud (such as eliminated the ridiculous 3 wks of waiting - you have effectively killed morale out in the field), and we might want to work for this company again.

 

I am not try to be a "tough guy." I am trying to expose a fraud.

Also, thanks for not telling me about a typo or spelling error too. That seems to be great sport on these threads.

There are no plans for further reductions. Of course, they can happen. They can happen any time based on generics, lack of approvals or lost revenue in current brands.

We need approvals. Yes. You are correct.

 

If you are really in "senior management" GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!!!!! What are you doing on cafepharma? Figure out how to fix this so-called company!!! The "senior management" of this company is a joke. And you are right...no one pointed out you mis-spellings because it is expected and not suprising that something like that comes from "senior management." I hope you get fired 2!!!!

 

"How can you improve if you receive feedback and just keep doing the same shit over and over? DM's been telling you to use a reprint during your last work trip and today you didn't use it once. What do you think should happen?

"You people are only complaining because NOW you feel you are going to be held responsible when it should have been this way all along."

What we are protesting is the unfair and unequal enforcement of these policies, especially the subjective measurements of Winning Practices.
OK, you've been advised to use a reprint. So how many times are you expected to utilize it in one day? Surely anyone knows that it won't be appropriate in EVERY situation--however, I know a rep who lost her job because (and here's what her termination letter stated "While your actions have improved, you have not used a reprint with EVERY doctor on EVERY call."
If you're on the list to be canned, you haven't got much hope to avoid it!!

 

The angry post from the hateful person is exactly why many reps are treated like low-level employees.

That ends the chance for any real conversation on here. It is not worth reaching out. Thanks.

 

What do you know about the Neuro Health division. i hear there cuts will be deeper even though they are the most profitable division in this company.

Also will reps still have a car durring severance period?

 

You people that complain about "subjective measurement" are living in a dream world if you don't think this exists in EVERY job.

Was it subjective when you were offered the job? yes.
Is it subjective when your DM observes your selling skills? yes

Remember that the company has entrusted the DM to observe these things that are subjective in nature. Is it always fair? of course not but that is the job of any manager of people.

One last note - Most DM's compare a reps abilities and behaviors with others in the district. If the DM is coming after you it typically means you are performing at a lower level than others in the district. Is it that hard to understand that you are not meeting the expectations of the DM in some way. Since the DM is responsible for growth in the district it stands to reason that they should have say in who stays or goes.

Instead of getting upset about it being subjective you should ask yourself, WHY did this happen to you and not others? Quit going through life as the victim.

 

My response:

1. Call average has very little to do with success. I have won winners circle multiple times along with other sales honors and I have never factored calls per day into my business planning. A rep with 8 or 9 solid and meaningful calls per day is much more effective than one who has 12 or 13 meaningless calls. Planning your schedule to have legitimate and effective calls takes time. Mr Sr. Mgmt what do you want, good calls or lots of calls? The way I see it now, good calls will make me money while lots of calls will keep corp off my back.

2. Two bad quarters in row. You are mostly correct on this, but I must say that some consideration needs to be given in instances when a rep has a history of success and when there are major changes to the territory that negatively affect it.

3. The subjectivity of field coaching reports and the increased importance on them is both disturbing and will expose the company to litigation. If a manager wants to get rid of a rep all they apparently have to do is give two negative comments in a row. There is no appeal process or validation if this is true.

MY QUESTION FOR YOU MR SENIOR MANAGEMENT:

Since accountability appears to be very important to you, what type of blame are you taking for the lack of a response to the Advair controversy last year?

"The we made a mistake card" does not mean much considering the standard of accountability you expect from everyone else. Given your standards for field coaching criteria you would have definitely been either fired or put on a PIP. GSK made our financial goals last year in spite of you, not because of you.

and finally, senior management has totally botched our relationship with the FDA. DOn't give the excuse that it is too difficult or complicated.

 

Go *uck yourself Ms Uppity. Most managers use the winning practices as a tactic to target the reps they don't like - and usually they don't like those reps because those reps are smarter than the dimwits managing them. The annoying thing is that it seems to provide a legal documentation of how the rep didn't meet expectations. My previous manager would smugly say "I can only rate what I see...and today I saw foundational"...

My two cents for all of you poor (and WAY under-valued) reps is to allow them to weed you out while you look for another job. Try to hang in there until you get the severance and make sure you don't do anything that could even come close to a CPP violation. (They are auditting a lot of people and finding the smallest things to fire them w/no severence). If you can, take another job but don't leave GSK - what a windfall that would be if you were later laid off.

To the reps who are honest and hardworking, I feel bad for you but know you'll do better in other companies - try for smaller pharma, diagnostics or med equipment - you'll be amazed how much better it is working for those companies.

To the shit head upper management - if there is a hell you will surely burn there.

To the shit head middle management - I hope you enjoy your slide from middle management to rep level or unemployment.

 

And you weren't angry when you were demoted in your last job? ...That's right, I know who you are.

 

Sorry, but if I get 30 seconds it is NOT appropriate to use a reprint no matter what MY MGR. said! I'm sure not going to do this when the Dr. doesn't give me any opportunity or if it's in front of a patient. GET REAL!!! You have to do it when it's right and mgr.s have to learn to go with the situation!!!

 

How supremely arrogant of you. Someone takes you on with a real life example of DSM's out of control with power, and you're gonna take your ball and go home. This is PRECISELY what is wrong at GSK. "Reaching Out" is a two way street - it doesn't mean you announce your view and then everyone agrees with you, although I'm sure you consider that a district expectation when you do field contacts.

 

Multiple sr. people lost their jobs or were demoted during many incidents during the last few years (Advair, Cidra, Avandia, etc).

No, there was not an announcement online.

 

Post to Sr. Management:

As a tenured employee and stock holder, I am appalled at the irresponsibility of upper management. Responsibility was never assumed for the stock outage in Cidra. We were told about the employee and production problems, but you don't have massive outages overnight...who was overseeing manufacturing? During the time of outage with multiple products, Avandia was said to produce profits, huh? How can you make money when there isn't anything generating money and you are paying employees?
What about the wasteful spending last year during the outage? Is there a justifiable reason for travel out of town for rvps, managers, reps to meet about unavailable products? Oh, and flying managers and representives and paying for overnight and lousy food for town hall meetings, why?
Finally RVPs and Managers have spent money as if the company has made it hand over fist, but GSK hasn't generated enough money to cover employees. Now I forget, who did you say assumed the responsibility for outages and overspending? Certainly not the representatives who have been the voice to customers till now, but who will soon be silenced.
If management expects representatives to take responsibility for calls, sales, and sales skills development, then management must assume responsibility for manufacturing, stocking, and contracting.

 

Lamictal is going generic soon................what do you think will happen? The new drug just got a no go from the FDA. Cuts are here and more are on the way. Sorry, just being honest.