Lack of Transparency and Limited Meritocracy - Anonymous employee Cytiva Employee Review

1.0
Dec 19, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cytiva, a Danaher company, and its operating companies are well regarded externally, with established systems and recognised brands. For those with strong internal sponsorship, there can be opportunities to move across the organisation. Some teams and leaders do act with professionalism.

Cons

I was impacted by a reduction in force (RIF) that was not communicated clearly or consistently across the organisation. The approach felt uneven and opaque. Some associates were given only a few hours to say their goodbyes, while others were given several weeks, with no explanation for the disparity. Role eliminations were handled inconsistently. In some instances, managers appeared to select which roles to remove based on personal preference; in others, managers were simply informed of decisions already made. A number of associates with no performance issues were impacted, seemingly because they were not among their manager’s preferred individuals. There was little evidence of meaningful protection or advocacy from HR. It should also be noted that HR had prior knowledge of the RIF and facilitated the placement of certain favoured associates into roles within other operating companies. More broadly, internal mobility across Danaher is heavily dependent on sponsorship. Many roles are created specifically for particular individuals without being posted, and others are advertised despite a candidate already having been selected. As a result, the organisation does not operate as a true meritocracy. Without strong internal backing, opportunities for progression or redeployment are limited, particularly during periods of organisational change. If you join Danaher or one of its operating companies, invest early in networking and securing senior sponsorship. Advancement and stability often depend more on who supports you than on performance alone.

Explore other reviews about Cytiva

5.0
May 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Supportive organizational culture, excellent flexibility for graduate student workloads, personalized/customizable project opportunities, and exceptional exposure to cross-functional industry leaders. Supportive Culture: From the very first interview, the collaborative and highly supportive culture that defines Cytiva's organizational DNA was completely transparent. Upper management leading the program is actively invested in creating and scaling resources to address intern needs while demonstrating a genuine commitment to our long-term career development. Genuine Work-Life Balance: The program managers were highly flexible with our schedules and completely understanding of our demanding workloads as graduate students. They found a great balance, equipping us with vital commercial and technical skills while remaining mindful of our academic commitments, always ensuring our graduate responsibilities came first. Immense Value & Customization: Rather than locking interns into a rigid, one-size-fits-all curriculum, the program empowers students to tailor their experience based on their specific territory goals, desired skill sets, and scheduling needs. While managers proactively equip interns with structured frameworks like 30-60-90 day development plans, the execution is highly dynamic. The program allows the flexibility to pivot toward self-directed, high-impact projects (such as strategic grant prospecting, territory mapping, or localized lead-generation pipelines) ensuring every intern can directly impact their regional sales team while maximizing their unique strengths. High-Level Exposure: Beyond individual territory work, the program offers invaluable networking opportunities and cross-functional industry connections. Cytiva actively hosts structured workshops and panels featuring Directors and Global Product Managers across diverse business units. For incoming career searchers like me, this level of corporate visibility provides a look into the realities of commercial strategy, product management, and corporate leadership. Ultimately, the UCR program does a great job of transforming technical academic backgrounds into effective, solution-oriented commercial roles. It bridges complex science with executive business concepts, all while accommodating the realities of graduate school workloads.

Cons

Since the program is decentralized, structure varies heavily by territory. The day-to-day management style is predominantly hands-off. Initial frameworks (like 30-60-90 day plans) often shift to accommodate real-time field needs rather than rigid timelines. Success requires a high degree of autonomy, self-starting initiative, and the ability to thrive without constant, structured oversight.

1.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexibility has always been good. They pay well but you will stagnate in experience if you join here which will garuntee that you will never be able to move on.

Cons

Progression is poor Within my 5 year tenure, there has been a management change in each year which continues to only add scope to the role of employees below that. Now my manager is redundant and we are managed by someone in another country who couldn't care less. We can literally do nothing and there would be no consequences. Since the merger, many of the smartest have left. The company continues to look for cost cutting measures where teams are now halved to what they were at the start of my time here. The processes since the merger have all doubled. Any attempts to correct things by management have only worsened things.

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