Seek employment elswewhere. - Associate Director Abbott Employee Review

1.0
Nov 20, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They pay you, albeit below industry average.

Cons

Management is incompetent and unknowledgable about their position. The trend is to hide stuff from FDA during audits, not to actually do things appropriately the first time so that FDA has nothing to find. Quality is seen as an annoying hindrance that needs to be circumvented. The only way to advance is to suck up to the right people. It's very much an "old boys" network. New products are not being researched or designed. The Office of Ethics and Compliance is known as the "Abbott Police" because of how often they interrogate people. People constantly feel like they're being watched and can't say anything to anyone about anything because the "Abbott Police" will come after them. During investigations, you are informed you can't speak to anyone about anything, you are told you can't take notes about anything said by the investigators, and if you do take notes, you must destroy them. People are investigated on a regular basis and when an investigation occurs, everyone in a department is brought in and interrogated. There have been instances where Abbott employees have made up false accusations (everything from fraud to harassment) in order to get rid of co-workers. It's a guilty-until-proven-innocent investigations where the investigators are co-workers at corporate headquarters in Chicago. They are not trained investigators. They could be people who hold the same job as you and who you have interracted with on previous occassions related to actual job related matters, not an investigation. The general approach by employees is becoming such that they quit as soon as they are informed they are under investigation. Many employees are currently looking for employment elsewhere rather than remaining in such a hostile work environment.

Explore other reviews about Abbott

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work life balance is great

Cons

Remote work opportunities are minimal.

2.0
Jun 15, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

• Strong brand and market position • Talented individual contributors and subject matter experts sprinkled throughout the organization • Opportunity to work on products that impact many patients

Cons

These comments reflect experience within Abbott Diabetes Care. • Culture can feel political and risk-averse, with difficult issues often addressed indirectly rather than transparently • Decision-making is slowed by multiple layers of management, many of whom appear focused more on managing upward than enabling teams and execution • Long-tenured management structures can create limited accountability, discourage new ideas, and make modernization difficult • Some leadership styles feel hierarchical and dismissive of dissenting viewpoints, making it risky to challenge the status quo • Strategic thinking and decision authority are concentrated among a relatively small group of senior leaders, creating bottlenecks and limiting innovation • Office environments and ways of working often feel outdated compared to more modern organizations • Organizational responsiveness can be frustratingly low. Routine requests, decisions, and communications often require multiple follow-ups, creating unnecessary delays and reducing accountability • Promotions and performance assessments often lack transparency, leading employees to question whether advancement is based on impact, visibility, DEI, or internal relationships • Employees navigating significant career or life transitions may experience varying levels of support, visibility, and development opportunities, making career continuity and progression feel less predictable than they should be

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