Danaher reviews

3.5

54% would recommend to a friend

(830 total reviews)
avatar

Rainer M. Blair

61% approve of CEO

54% positive business outlook

Danaher has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 830 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Danaher employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Farmacéutica y biotecnología industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

830 reviews
2.0
Oct 26, 2011

Tighten the Screws

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The best reason I can think of after months of reflection is that it looks favorable on a resume.

Cons

The management team drives by fear for ones job. There is little teamwork as everyone is fearful of the gentle nudge in front of the bus. Regardless of how the company has performed, there will be layoffs each year. I knew I was in trouble when on my second day of work, the admin assistant "joked" with me about her surprise to see me show up. The stress level is high and only ratchets up and the expectation of your time ( ie. your commitment to the company) is brutal if you have a family - even away from the office you were expected to respond to your blackberry. If you didn't come from a few select MBA programs, you likely were not considered upwardly mobile or a hi-pot.

1.0
Oct 17, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Can offer above-market comp for managers, if negotiated skillfully and you're bringing in clients and/or technical experts. Valuable tip: forget targeting long-term comp that vests over multi-year period. Go for max comp in the short-term, even if leaving sizable amount of long-term money on the table - you won't want to stick around to cash in. Had I done this I would have planned to leave even sooner.

Cons

The abrasive term in the headline is almost never referred to an employer out of respect for those who've truly suffered, but I've heard it used so many times on Danaher from employees throughout that it became a default way to describe the company. The reviewer from 10/12/2011 hit the nail on the head. Managers make false promises of hope to employees and rules with fear. As managers we're trained to exaggerate these elements to milk every last ounce of energy from employees without paying for it. Title "raises" are common way to evade pay rewards. When managers have an issue with a direct report, even if trivial, they'll likely go on a witch hunt and build their case against that employee (e.g. 15min late twice becomes "perpetual tardiness" and unable to finish an arduous assignment given only a day prior becomes "unwilling and unable to perform essential responsibilities") so that HR can take over and apply the coup de grace. Mind you, this applies to managers as well, so your living motto becomes "to kill or be killed." These are some elements that really turned my stomach, and made me rethink who I want to be in an environment where I am required to spend most of my waking hours. I have come to the realization that this isn't normal or temporary, and that it's something that I'll eventually look back on with profound regret. The reviews here have inspired me to come forward, as their examples are striking in their accuracy and resonance, considering how many Danaher companies there are throughout the world.

4.0
Sep 30, 2011

get out what you put in

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

peers are cream of the crop. however, be ready to run a marathon. hard work and high expectations

Cons

it can be an intense place - not for everyone

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Glassdoor has 957 Danaher reviews submitted anonymously by Danaher employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Danaher is right for you.