An unpleasant experience amidst a culture of fear - Senior Project Manager AstraZeneca Employee Review

1.0
Mar 14, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great salary, onsite hair salon, store & gym--that's about it.

Cons

Pretty much all else; a once great workplace brought to its knees by the ill-fated merger with Astra; continuous reorganization, Byzantine layers of bureaucracy, nonsensical cost-cutting (to the point of workers' having to scrounge for basic office supplies, no $ for professional development of any kind, virtually all business travel cut for anyone outside of upper, upper management), leaders who are blatant in their disregard for employees, promotions doled out to the undeserving, constant shuffling of employees from building to building (8 different offices/cubes in 10 years), the worst IT department in the business, outsourcing of major functions, an essentially worthless HR department, no pipeline to speak of (and horrible mishandling of existing products by ineffective marketing staff), no opportunity for advancement, a pervasively toxic culture with fearful, unhappy employees, a horrible cafeteria with surly staff, bad food, and cheesy cutlery and napkins

Explore other reviews about AstraZeneca

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits, good pay, healthy growth potential

Cons

Big company, not the most flexibility

5.0
Apr 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I imagine this is very dependent on line management but I find my team and supervisors to be true champions of a high performing and highly compassionate work culture. I find my work challenging and rewarding, and have had opportunities to learn and grow and be rewarded and recognized for my output. No job is perfect but I’m truly happy to work here and at a time when AZ is truly rising like a rocket.

Cons

Like any massive global corporate entity, things can sometimes move slowly and it can be challenging to navigate a high number of constantly evolving priorities and initiatives. That being said, AZ is very clear about its north stars and values which makes it possible to prioritize work that has the most impact and alignment with the company’s ambition and business prerogatives. 60% office attendance policy is also a bit funny when oftentimes I am on Teams calls with colleagues sitting in other areas of the world.

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