Smart people, great work/life balance and benefits, but no career growth - Anonymous employee AstraZeneca Employee Review

2.0
Mar 22, 2012
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Everyone is very bright. Projects change frequently and involve advanced science so they are quite interesting. Benefits are very good and work/life balance is excellent; flex time, vacation and work at home opportunities plus a deep understanding and respect for health and family commitments. A 9 to 5 job that is not boring. People stay for years and are very loyal to the company. Some charismatic new top-level management that may help eventually.

Cons

Management is dealing with a poor pipeline by having massive layoffs. Morale is poor. IT support is appalling. Decisions are very slow to happen and slow to be implemented; bureaucratic snags tie up IT projects for years. There is no recognition for a job well done. Heavy-handed attempts at behavioral control from HR are ignored. Communication is done by nuance, so mixed messages abound, and backstabbing is common. Very hierarchical and political; if you are not politically adept, you will not advance here.

Explore other reviews about AstraZeneca

5.0
Apr 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I imagine this is very dependent on line management but I find my team and supervisors to be true champions of a high performing and highly compassionate work culture. I find my work challenging and rewarding, and have had opportunities to learn and grow and be rewarded and recognized for my output. No job is perfect but I’m truly happy to work here and at a time when AZ is truly rising like a rocket.

Cons

Like any massive global corporate entity, things can sometimes move slowly and it can be challenging to navigate a high number of constantly evolving priorities and initiatives. That being said, AZ is very clear about its north stars and values which makes it possible to prioritize work that has the most impact and alignment with the company’s ambition and business prerogatives. 60% office attendance policy is also a bit funny when oftentimes I am on Teams calls with colleagues sitting in other areas of the world.

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