Pros
Excellent workplace flexibility - I could work from home whenever I needed to. Company store - cheap Merck products Good salaries and benefits Really good people - peers. Everyone works really hard and understands the company mission to save lives and make people feel better.
Kontras
Upper management thinks they know what everyone is doing but in truth, do not. People are afraid to say what they think - no "courage and candor" although the company lists this as a core competency. People have gotten their "hands slapped" for speaking up and giving opinions (especially after the merger with Schering-Plough). Company downsizing in order to keep up with the economy, but they don't seem to be changing how they operate in a changing Pharma environment. When the merger happened, Merck said they wanted to have a culture more like Schering but after 2 years, it has reverted to the "old Merck" - see comment on courage and candor.