Little did Edward Robinson Squibb know what he was putting together when he started The Squibb Corporation in the mid-1800s.
His focus on the best quality of pharmaceuticals was what helped him quickly gain support in his endeavor.
Edward became a voice for instilling top standards in his field.
The American Civil War proved a big opportunity to do some good for the company.
It was during the deadly, 4-year conflict that Squibb Corporation supplied for the medical needs of the Union army.
Today, the company makes over $45 billion annually with 30,000 employees.
What’s it like to work there? Follow along as we explore the pros and cons.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for Bristol Myers Squibb
1. Benefits
Usually, the benefits section is an opportunity to brag about health care and pension plans.
One thing that isn’t talked about enough is the perk options a company gives at the office.
Bristol Myers Squibb has made efforts to accommodate in-person work.
For example, there is an entire cafeteria that not only makes lunch convenient but also caters to a variety of diet restrictions or preferences.
This space also comes with quick grab stations for easy snacks.
That includes all the free tea and coffee an employee could ask for.
Feeling tense?
There are locations with massage therapy and even dry cleaning.
Got kids ready for college?
The company issues 50 scholarships each year to dependents of employees.
Need a break?
There’s a full gym to blow off some steam.
2. Work-Life Balance
It’s refreshing when a company remembers that there’s more to life than the job.
At Bristol Myers Squibb, the powers that be have realized the way to retain good talent is to be accommodating.
The real focus here is on family and realizing people have a lot going on.
There are several remote work positions and the ability to work flexible hours.
This is a huge benefit for so many employees around the globe.
In this situation, employees can have their work revolve around their lives, instead of the other way around.
The company also offers things like family leave, flu shots, and health coaching.
3. Competitive Pay
Of course, no pro is better than a healthy salary.
Depending on the department, pharmaceuticals are often well-paying companies.
It just so happens that Bristol Myers Squibb is a cut above the rest.
Typically, employees across the board make more here than at comparable companies.
Included in the pay are bonuses and stock options.
That means your finances can enjoy a nice boost multiple times a year.
With a company that is worth as much as Squibb, stock options are only going to get hotter as time goes on.
4. Supportive Teams
If you were to poll the employees of Bristol Myers Squibb, you’d quickly learn one of everyone’s favorite aspects of working here is the people.
Going to work with people you can trust to have your back and help guide you when needed is encouraging.
This is even more true when management isn’t super reliable.
Not only can employees have great one-on-one time with coworkers, but they are also trusted to be autonomous.
Getting together with a team for direction is great and then working on your own to complete a project is amazing.
That is particularly true when you know the team is there to help when necessary.
5. Opportunities to Move
Working in a place with a presence around the world creates opportunities to not have to sit still.
Employees can apply for positions anywhere a location exists and plan a move.
Even better, if an employee gets an entirely remote position, they are free to live anywhere with a WIFI signal.
This shows Squibb’s commitment to moving forward with the times.
Being open for employees to take positions around the globe or keep their position from home shows flexibility.
6. Training
One resource no employee should ever take for granted is thoughtful training.
Most employees would say their training was thorough and a major boost to their careers.
The thing is, training doesn’t end after orientation.
Real training is ongoing and can be done at any time.
Whenever someone needs a refresher or would like to know more about a particular area, resources are always available.
7. Remote and Hybrid Positions
Cafeterias with all the food items you could want sound great.
Do you know what sounds better?
Checking emails from bed.
Depending on the department, there are positions where workers don’t need to be physically present to be accounted for.
Not only are there remote opportunities, but there’s also still a good solution for someone who wants to be remote yet get the in-person benefits.
Hybrid schedules make department interfacing convenient while also giving a sweet boost to the work-life balance.
Whether you want to be at the office daily, in person sometimes, or working in your pajamas, there is room for you at Bristol Myers Squibb.
Cons of Working for Bristol Myers Squibb
1. Preferential Treatment
Being promoted on the basis of skill and accomplishment is the way it should be.
However, it seems like many get a leg up based on who they know and how well they are shmoozing the boss.
If you’re the type of person who stays focused on work and keeps to yourself, you might get overlooked by the more chatty managers who aren’t really doing a ton of work themselves.
Just when you thought the popularity contests were left behind in high school, you learn some companies are stuck in the past.
2. Little Upward Mobility
Getting hired and placed in a team is super exciting.
Let’s hope you have a team with the kind of work you’re going to love for a long time to come.
The chance of moving up from here is going to be long and arduous.
A major complaint is not only how hard it is to advance, but how often some employees are overlooked.
There is a serious lack of acknowledgment for top-performing employees.
Those who are actually making advances and putting in the heavy lifting are often passed over for those who are friends with management.
Sometimes, it also means someone else is taking credit that didn’t belong to them.
3. Distant Senior Management
Mid-managers who work on the floor and closely with teams are a bit much.
Levels above that are senior managers who are on the opposite train of existence.
They are often so removed from the happenings at lower levels that there are no direct lines of communication.
They also don’t really have a grasp on how the real workers are getting along under mid-management.
Bristol Myers Squibb is too top-heavy, creating a convoluted decision-making tree.
4. Lack of Diversity
If you were to ask higher-ups at BMS about their diversity initiatives, you’d probably hear from them that they are quite diverse.
In reality, there isn’t much diversity to be proud of.
In fact, minorities are often paid less.
Sometimes the pay discrepancy is in the 10s of thousands less than someone else with the same background.
5. Too Much Internal Movement
While getting promoted is tough, it’s not uncommon to experience a lot of internal moving.
In this scenario, someone gets to work on a new team but with no pay increase.
It happens so often that it almost feels like a way to keep employees happy by making them think they are getting promoted.
When it’s not employees moving around, it’s the distant higher management who is mixing things up and causing mayhem.
6. Lack of Resources
Training is great but resources to do the job are lacking.
This is surprising coming from a company that should be known for innovation.
The whole tool set needed to perform jobs needs to be overhauled or upgraded.
7. Micromanagement
The mid-managers who are too busy chatting do a lot of micromanagement to prove they are working.
It’s sort of like having someone stand over your shoulder.
These are the same people who schedule meetings that can be done with an email.
They are also overly critical about subjects or projects they don’t really understand.
It’s not conducive to a productive work environment.
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Bristol Myers Squibb – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Bristol Myers Squibb | Cons of Working for Bristol Myers Squibb |
|---|---|
| 1. Benefits | 1. Preferential Treatment |
| 2. Work-Life Balance | 2. Little Upward Mobility |
| 3. Competitive Pay | 3. Distant Senior Management |
| 4. Supportive Teams | 4. Lack of Diversity |
| 5. Opportunities to Move | 5. Too Much Internal Movement |
| 6. Training | 6. Lack of Resources |
| 7. Remote and Hybrid Positions | 7. Micromanagement |
Should You Work for Bristol Myers Squibb?
On the whole, there are plenty of aspects that make working for Bristol Myers Squibb exciting.
It seems like an overwhelming majority of employees feel supported by the company and have great relationships with coworkers.
Who doesn’t love having a salary you can be proud of?
Let’s not forget the bonuses and other benefits.
However, it can be frustrating to deal with disillusioned management and nepotism.
At the end of the day, job security and being part of something that can make a difference might be enough to overshadow the negatives at Bristol Myers Squibb.
