Value tenure not quality of managers - Anonymous employee Genentech Employee Review

3.0
Mar 28, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good pay/benefits, transport support, fun colleagues, strong purpose, some leaders are great and it shows in their teams work

Cons

classic big company problem - they put up with bad management and so are losing top talent. If someone has been in the company for a long time then their performance is never questioned. They do these satisfaction surveys every few years - again and again employees indicate there is the same problem but HR does nothing. Bad leadership behavior is tolerated and ignored. Lip service to "Speak Up" culture. Does the CEO even know how his direct reports are managing? After a while there is loss of credibility and trust.

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Jul 8, 2026
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Pros

Great culture and work environment.

Cons

PhD is necessary oftentimes for advancement.

3.0
May 7, 2026
Recommend
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Pros

Genentech's origin story and mission are genuinely inspiring — few companies can point to such a meaningful historical arc in medicine. Patient engagement is taken seriously and feels authentic, not performative. The campus is beautiful and the culture has real warmth.

Cons

DDA is operating with significant gaps. First, the foundational data infrastructure is not mature enough to support the ambitions being set for the team. Second, the measurement culture has gotten ahead of the methodology, and no one in a position of authority seems to be asking hard questions about whether the numbers actually mean what they're being presented as meaning. Third, some management feel disconnected from the work itself, lacking the knowledge, hands-on experience, or relevant credentials. Individually any one of these would be manageable. Together these create an environment where it's hard to do rigorous work, rather work is performative, and be recognized for it.

3
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