My version of 15 by 15

OP here. Let's just say I'm in the 35-50 age group. Been hearing more stories of pressure being put on reps again this year. A lot of these scumbag managers will pile on the negative stuff just before the YERs so that way they can sort of justify the meager raises and negative reviews. Sub COLA raises will be the norm. The attitude of "Just be lucky you have a job" will never be higher.

For me I'm gonna give them the minimal effort as long as possible and keep creating the illusion of work and just acting like I care. For 15 hours a week of effort I keep reminding myself I'm getting paid for 40 and it is somewhat tolerable.

The tough part for me is that many great friends and colleagues are already gone and more will soon follow. As the years go by, the meetings that used to be a lot of fun have really become sterile and dead, much like this company.

One more day left to recharge the batteries before another grueling 15 hour work week. I love all those Merck reps still here and really miss many of those gone.

FU Merck!

 

DO not over do it!!!!!!!!!!!This should be a 12 hour week as Monday is a Holiday----Please do not work 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FU MRK

 

I applaud you and just want to say keep up the good work. I agree with you about how the meetings have changed over the years. At first it was great to look forward to seeing friends and colleagues at the annual meetings. Then the meetings became one god-awful dreadful mess. The BS that was spewed by management was unbelievable. And we all were supposed to act like meek little lambs while being led to the slaughter. So glad to be gone from this hell-hole of a company. I do miss some of the people and hope they are pursuing other avenues of work. Merck has got to be one of the worst companies to work for. The environment is so cut-throat now. It is sad to see how far down Merck has sunk.

BTW FU Merck!

 

I empathize with some of my former colleagues who have managed to stay at Merck, albeit under less than motivating and inspiring conditions. The last truly great boss I had when I worked at Merck was a gentleman in Minneapolis who I felt honored and lucky to report to, Dick Morr. That was way back in the day when Merck had management that could treat their reports with decency, civility, honesty, and Merck was a motivating and inspiring company to work for. Dick was a great asset to gain from Lilly. Unfortunately, my Merck career eventually led me to cross the path of another former Lilly individual we hired who turned out to be a booby prize at best and I left the company. It sounds like Merck is full of these miscreant management types. I do feel sad about how rotten Merck became, knowing how wonderful the environment at Merck used to be.

 

Mr 15 x 15!!! Wanted to bring this to page one to see how you are doing...? Please update as to how the 15 x 15 is going-- hope all is well.

 

Us old timers really stood out at my last annual meeting. We were like the last group to be slaughtered. 90% of the reps were like kids, having a blast partying away. I wanted to pay for my own dinner and get out with a few friends. My manager decided we would dine out together as a group. Yes, the rumor started out around breakfast time that one district has planned that way. By lunch time every single manager wanted to do the same. Yes so we all would appear to be cohesive and loving to the director who probably did not give a damn and was busy trying to get laid.

 

Who can think about cutting corners. This year some of the realignments Im hearing about are beyond imagination. Hugh, impossible to handle and almost a sure bet for failure... Meant to get them out the door or a sign of total chaos?

 

your strategy is a good one for survival, and similar to what I did my last couple of years at Merck...the problem is, if you have any passion or soul left as a person, "pretending to care"
and giving "the illusion" that you are working, will be more debilitating and eroding of your psyche that you can imagine...

That is what Merck does to people...turns them in to robots who lose all their moral and ethical underpinnings...

you can do you 15 X 15, (and I do recommend not giving Merck much) but trust me, it comes at a huge price regardless.

 

OP here. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking! Been doing absolutely as little as possible! I think I have my manager intimidated because I have some secret recordings of our conversations and jot the notes down in a journal. He knows I have tons of notes and can recite every conversation I had with him for almost two years! Although he doesn't know I have been recording conversations, just knowing I have notes and not knowing what's in them scares the crap out of him.

I have documented times when another rep in our district said he used a personal Ipad to show customers unapproved materials. Our manager and director were in the room and said nothing. I can tell you the time, date and who else was in the room. I also recorded a conversation with our S3 that she remembers the meeting and that it was a violation. I also have another rep that admitted during a meeting that he has had dinners with customers. Again, a clear violation. The manager was in the room again and said nothing.

I don't plan on using any of this unless I need to. Until then, it's 15X15 for me all year baby! Embrace and enjoy the lifestyle. FYI, I think I actually worked 10 hours last week.

FU Merck!

 

Why are you doing all that? To prove what? Seems like a waste of time- You are going to lose your job at some point in the future anyway-
To protect yourself? Are you trying to get other reps fired?
Are you trying to get your manager fired? That won't happen- No matter what kind of poison you have against him-Didn't you get the memo years ago that Merck protects managers and DCOs. You will spend more $$$ hiring lawyers to fight them. They ALWAYS ALWAYS win.... You are just a lowly rep...what do you know.... They will spin what you have against them to get rid of you...

 

If the curtain is going to fall on this job then it falls no matter what you do. Some people are getting an handraiser sweet deals but those of us who are left can either look for a new job now or wait for the big notice.... The truth is rep jobs are now becoming a thing of the past. We all know it. You can dream on that you are an exception but I think you're avoiding the truth. Within a few years it will be contract people everywhere...I think its sad, funny and even pathetic that some of the power hungry types are still are trying to push others out. They are complete idiots. Their steps to push out others and take over will not give them anything different than what we'll all be getting....I'll be working fulltime until the end and hope for the best.....

 

Been off CF for a couple of weeks and wanted to check in and see how your 15x15 strategy was working. Good to know you are still going strong. Another "poster"questioned your reasoning behind all the note taking and recordings. I personally did the same thing and it did prove to be quite helpful in my case against my manager. I was vindicated and my manager mysteriously decided to "leave"Merck and spend time at home. I say if you have the proof - then you have the power. Rock on 15x15.!!

BTW - FU Merck.

 

Hey all! OP back. I was just thinking back to last year when Timney set the 15x15 goal for Merck to achieve $15 billion in sales by 2015. Then I set my own 15x15 goal of working 15 hours a week until 2015. I have been achieving my goal but I don't think Merck is gonna even come close to their goal. It looks like so far I'm the winner here! What are your thoughts?

FU Merck!

 

My thoughts are - it is more than just FU Merck, but FU most of big pharma. I'm still employed at a different big pharma co, and have followed this thread. The sentiments are parallel, a mutual disgust of stupid decisions having ruined a good thing due to excessive greed and short-sightedness. Some things are turning around, but I fear too late and with sorry-ass pipelines. The MDs' access which we have lost will not come back, the new crop of MDs no longer see us as the "ethical pharmaceutical industry" and it will take half a generation of good behavior to win it back. I'll be long gone by then. Out of necessity for sanity I too have embraced a similar strategy as you, just not quite to the same extent, as I have been treated fairly well in spite of the craziness. Hope will always be there, but optimism is gone. Age 35-50 like you.

 

Hey 15X15 Guy, did you win a VP Award? I fully expect that your chances were as good as anyone else's!

 

My award for 2012 was much better than a VP award. Having 25 extra hours of "free time" per week is a great award. Taking my wife to NYC before Christmas without taking vacation time was better than any VP Trip that you could ever take. Knowing that I have my manager afraid of me because of the notes I have taken at meetings, field visits and phone calls is better than a VP Award. The confused look on his face when I recite conversations that are months old is priceless.

I feel absolutely no guilt with my 15x15 strategy at all. I'm gonna keep it rolling as long as I can. I love my friends still here and especially those that were pushed out and left the company. Them being screwed by Merck is the fuel that drives me in my 15x15 quest. If you are not doing the 15x15, why not? What has Merck done for you lately?

FU Merck!

 

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

 

Terminated after 30 here. Yes, Mr. 15 x 15 you are my hero also. Wish I could get my friends that still buy in to the BS to see the light like you do. They don't get it at all and I can't make them see it. Keep on posting so we can keep up with you...
FU Merck

 

OP,
As a reminder Merck policy prohibits posing information or unapproved comments on social media. Non-adherence to any policy may result in punishment, up to and including termination.

 

OP, you are an inspiration to us all.

FU Merck