I spent several years with Envision Pharma Group and genuinely wanted the company to succeed. My experience wasn’t defined by one isolated event, but by a gradual decline in leadership stability, employee engagement, and organizational culture.
The most significant challenge was the lack of consistent executive leadership. During my tenure, the company went through multiple CEOs, including a prolonged period without a permanent CEO. Each leadership transition brought a new vision, new priorities, and another organizational reset. Teams would invest months moving initiatives forward only to have direction change again. It became increasingly difficult to build momentum when long-term strategy seemed to change with each new executive.
The organization has also become increasingly top-heavy. For a company of roughly 1,300 employees, there appeared to be a growing number of Vice Presidents and “Head of” roles while the teams responsible for delivering the work remained understaffed. Managers were routinely asked to accomplish more with fewer resources, and requests for additional headcount were often denied due to budget constraints. At the same time, new leadership positions continued to be created, sending a confusing message about organizational priorities.
Compensation and recognition also became increasingly disappointing. During my time with the company, there were extended periods without merit increases, bonus payouts, or stock option grants. Employees understood that difficult business conditions sometimes require difficult decisions. However, it became increasingly challenging to reconcile those decisions with continued investment in additional layers of leadership while frontline teams were expected to absorb growing workloads.
Perhaps the most concerning trend has been the ongoing outsourcing of technical functions. Experienced U.S.-based employees have been asked to train their offshore replacements before their positions were eliminated. While outsourcing can reduce operating costs, it also accelerates the loss of institutional knowledge, technical expertise, and the business context that experienced employees have developed over many years. Processes can be documented, but judgment, historical knowledge, and an understanding of why certain decisions are made cannot be transferred nearly as easily.
The impact extends beyond positions that were eliminated. Over the years, I watched many talented, long-tenured employees voluntarily leave because they no longer believed the company was headed in the right direction or felt valued for their contributions. The cumulative loss of experienced people has been significant and, in my opinion, will be difficult to recover from.
What makes all of this particularly disappointing is that Envision Pharma Group truly was a great place to work. There was a time when collaboration was encouraged, leadership was accessible, and employees felt empowered to solve problems together. The company’s values—People First, In This Together, and Trust and Respect—were more than words on a presentation; they were reflected in how people treated one another and how decisions were made.
Over time, those values became increasingly difficult to recognize. The focus appeared to shift toward organizational restructuring, cost reduction, and short-term financial objectives, often at the expense of employee development, retention, and long-term operational health. Many employees were left feeling they simply needed to “figure it out” with fewer resources and less support.
I remain grateful for the relationships I built and for the many exceptional people I had the privilege of working alongside. They were, without question, the best part of the organization. My hope is that the company can regain the stability, culture, and employee focus that once made it a place people were proud to join and reluctant to leave.
