Employees trust gas station sushi more than middle managers; compensation is a joke; racism - Contract Manufacturing Associate MilliporeSigma Employee Review

1.0
16 Oct 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The benefits package is OK; insurance is relatively cheap but the actual healthcare costs are pretty high. You can learn anything you want here, as long as you don't want to be paid for it. You can provide input and develop improvements to processes ad infinitum, as long as you don't want recognition, promotion, or pay increases. This place is a great resume builder if you can tolerate the deception, constantly changing standards, racism, and horrible management.

Cons

There is zero room for advancement, promotion, or pay increases. None. In the years I worked here, I saw one person promoted in my department. The running observation among employees is anytime someone has gained the skills and experience for promotion, one middle manager changes the criteria for promotion to tailor it just outside of anyone's ability. "Training opportunities" in different departments who were short-handed were a common way to build experience for promotion, but were never recognized for actual progression. People were moved from department to department with the promise of promotion only to be holding the promoted position for months/years while being told they were unqualified for promotion -- to the job they're already doing. People would be "temporarily" assigned to other departments for months only to be told that they're unqualified to be permanently assigned to the higher paying position -- for a job they're already doing. Supervisors and leads seemed to have the employees' best interests and professional development in mind. The middle management team did not. HR is a part-time contractor here with ZERO ability to actually influence personnel policy. It's clear that the contractor (who is great) is only employed to allow managers/middle managers to misbehave just enough to make everyone miserable but not so much as to over-expose the company to litigation beyond the "settlement" range. There is zero actual personnel policy. Promotion / advancement / development in my department was shaped by middle managers' slanted opinions of those seeking promotion. It's like Lucy constantly moving the football on Charlie Brown. The racism here is apparent to anyone willing to scratch the surface. This site hires black and brown new college graduates, strings them along for years with promises of promotion and advancement, and universally creates unattainable hurdles for anyone who exceeds their criteria for promotion. They even have one black person on each shift like they're checking blocks. Honestly, watch "Hidden Fences" for an accurate depiction of this job site -- replace the blonde lady in the movie with an Asian guy and you've captured this job site. The pay is a joke but the retirement package is OK. Amazon, Home Depot, Any hospital laboratory, BestBuy, HEB, and every competitor pays more -- even McDonalds is catching up to them. The pay is within 2% of the burrito shop around the corner. The company's wages are less than poverty level and the company seems to be using payroll analysis data from 10 years ago; middle managers seem to be dumbfounded by employees' leaving while competitors are paying 50-75% more. I left because of the racism and pay disparity with competitors after my 401k vested. I now make 62% more at a competitor while my job duties are essentially unchanged.

Explore other reviews about MilliporeSigma

5.0
2 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great place to work at and loved the environment

Cons

No cons to think of since new to work

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MilliporeSigma Response
2w
It is great to hear that your first experience at our company has been so positive and that the environment has stood out to you. As you continue to settle in, we encourage you to use regular check-ins with your manager and the MyGrowth framework to shape your development and explore learning opportunities early on. Thank you for being part of the team, and for taking the time to share your feedback!
3.0
15 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Some managers were exceptional mentors and played a significant role in my professional growth. Good benefits and a reasonable severance package during workforce reductions. Opportunities to work on large-scale marketing initiatives and collaborate with experience professionals across the organization and globe.

Cons

Advancement opportunities often felt inconsistent and lacked any transparency. Leadership frequently emphasized data-driven decision making, but business decisions did not always appear to align with the metrics being presented. The company appeared hesitant to embrace emerging technologies and AI-driven approaches, limiting innovation in multiple areas. Job security is uncertain, and organizational changes occur frequently with little warning. Management quality varied significantly, While some leaders were outstanding, others struggled with communication, strategic direction, and people management. Career growth seemed to depend heavily on organizational politics and alignment with leadership rather than solely on measurable performance.

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