career at a company as large and diverse as Johnson & Johnson means different things to different professionals. And, of course, everyone has different priorities, needs, and preferences when it comes to where and how they work. It would be easy for us to just tell you why our teammates love working here, but we decided to let them tell you themselves.
To find out what our team likes best about working here, we surveyed a number of employees across a variety of functions from within Johnson & Johnson. Read on to learn why we were recently named on Glassdoor’s 2018 list of best places to work.
Teamwork and Communication Are Key Ingredients
“Collaboration and teamwork are the most important skills within Johnson & Johnson,” said Jeff Mathers, Senior Director of Software Engineering and Emerging Technology with the Johnson & Johnson Technology group. And that makes perfect sense. After all, cutting-edge technology is only part of what drives innovation. To do truly groundbreaking work, you need input and buy-in from everyone involved. We’re keenly aware of that, and that drives us to foster a team-oriented approach in everything we do.
“My team is like a family,” added Addie Harris, Director of Digital Orthopedic Surgery at DePuy Synthes. “We’re there to support the success of projects and deliver products to our customers. A favorite colleague often asks, ‘What do we need to make [fill in the blank] happen?’ When that need has been identified, the team makes it happen.“
RoseMary Costa-Lopes, Talent Engagement Manager for Johnson & Johnson’s talent acquisition team, agreed with Addie. “I love the way people work together and support each other to meet the mission. Our team is fun, energetic and agile.”
Despite our company’s size and global reach, it’s clear that we’re all in this together, and everyone has a voice.
Our Employees Have a Passion—and Want to Share It
One thing that brings our colleagues together—no matter where they work or what role they play—is the desire to make an impact. In the words of Joe Manfredonia, Data Science Manager at Johnson & Johnson Technology, “We are all connected by the same passion and drive to improve the health of people around the world.”
This shared commitment is part of what attracted Tina McGrath to Johnson & Johnson in the first place. Tina, an Innovation Activation QuickFire Manager at JLABS, said, “Johnson & Johnson balances the power and scope of being a massive global organization with the boldness to constantly push boundaries. It's a rare combination that results in creating true impact, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
With Johnson & Johnson at the forefront of so many different fields, how that passion is translated into actions on the ground varies from one employee to the next.
Some, like Christoph Heuck, Director of Clinical Research at Janssen, are working toward highly specific near-term goals—in his case, curing multiple myeloma. Others, like Arun Sundar, a Senior Analyst within HR analytics, are working to drive longer-term outcomes by helping us hire the best possible talent for each role.
They’ve Got the Ability to Grow—and Change Directions
There are more than 200 companies in our Family of Companies and thousands of roles to be filled, and many of our colleagues have used our sheer size to change direction during their careers. It’s no surprise that several of our teammates said Johnson & Johnson not only nurtured their professional growth, but also actively encouraged them to pursue their interests across different areas of operations.
“I've changed roles many times during my career here,” Jeff noted. “Changing roles is one of the best parts of working at Johnson & Johnson. You can build new relationships—and learn about entirely new business and technology spaces—while staying within the same company.” Jeff added that he began his tenure at Johnson & Johnson by working in pharmaceutical research and development before moving onto IT, where he currently supports the development of medical devices and healthcare technologies.
But it’s not just senior leadership who has the opportunity to move between companies and roles. New hires share that opportunity, too.
“As a member of the Information Technology Leadership Development Program, I had the opportunity to rotate around the company and parts of the country in various roles to learn how different parts of the company operate,” Joe added. “It was an invaluable experience.”
They’re Changing Perceptions
Sure, we enjoyed reading all the wonderful things our colleagues had to say about working at Johnson & Johnson. But one question we asked our colleagues came back with answers that were sadly predictable.
That question was: “Among your friends or professional networks, are there any misconceptions about Johnson & Johnson? If so, what are they?”
Here are a sample of the answers:
- “Some people think Johnson & Johnson is only baby products and bandages. Most people aren’t aware of all the other areas we work in.”
- “Friends and family don't perceive us as a technology company. They are pleasantly surprised when they hear what I do and how it plays into the future of healthcare.”
- “The biggest misconception is that Johnson & Johnson is an ‘outdated and slow’ healthcare company. In reality, the opposite is true.”
- “The most common misconception is that Johnson & Johnson is a 'bandage and baby shampoo company.' We do so much more, and they are often surprised to hear the number of so many different products and services we produce at Johnson & Johnson, especially in the technology space.”
- “There’s a perception that Johnson & Johnson is a lumbering giant that is just a healthcare company, when we are really an innovative company that has expertise across consumer, medical devices and pharmaceutical businesses.”
Clearly, we’ve got some work to do in this area, but our teammates are our best ambassadors. They’re correcting the misconception that we’re a slow-moving and behind-the-times company that’s focused solely on consumer products by sharing our latest innovations and the life-saving technologies we create with their friends, families, and professional networks.
At Johnson & Johnson, we’re committed to making a positive impact on the world—and we know our employees are our most valuable resource in that mission. That’s why we’re so interested in finding out what our teammates value about their work here, and we’re always working to improve how we show our gratitude for their contributions. If you’re interested in joining our team, click here to see all the ways you can contribute by joining Johnson & Johnson in 2018.