Interesting that there has been no denial about MT's lack of leadership....

Shutting down Roche Europe is not going to happen, nor are they going to be bought.
Roche as a corporation is very successful, and their market capitalization makes them "out of bounds" for all other Pharma companies to acquire.
The issue for Roche has been the Roche Diagnostics Indy site. Basel management does not know what to do with it, other than get rid of it. Everything they have tried to improve the last 5 years from Europe has failed, and all key indicators continue to deteriorate at the site. The most important being of course revenue and profits.

There are death spirals that cannot be reversed, I think Roche Basel has made the decision that Indy is a lost cause.

Roche should sell, but the buyer should then clean house in Europe. This pig ain't gonna fly without fixing global. As for NAM, no chance of moving market share forward very much despite rearranging deck chairs on the titanic. What reorg happened today?

The other reason for destruction of records is to eliminate "smoking guns" for bad management decisions that may lead to punitive damage court decisions against Roche. In particular, it is known that there were bad decisions made for years in Indy regarding Quality and Regulatory Compliance. These bad decisions come back to haunt companies in class action injury suits and other allegations of personal loss.

In the US I know you have heard of "cover your tracks"?

From Basel.....

When sites are preparing for closure and/or major reductions it is standard SOP to get rid of documentation that may be taken by angry employees, and that may be subpoena'd and used in litigation against the company at a latter time.

Advice: make copies of sensitive information and document when and how it was disposed of, as well as the name of the indiviual (typically our supervisor) providing the direction for getting rid of the documents.

NAM Come on, wake up! The separations of the different operations over the last couple years, the file shredding and email cleanup, enormous pressures to keep costs and supplies low. Only means one thing??? SALE

Anyone who finds this thread entertaining has a twisted and sick view of humanity. How can fear, sadness and anger over being treated poorly be entertaining? Could it be that MT wrote that post?

What planet did you visit from?? Everyone is stirred up. This thread is the tip of an iceberg.

I tend to think that if you really knew what you were talking about you wouldnt be posting it on here but thats just my take.

This whole thread is just about getting everyone stirred up.
But it is entertaining at times!

Previous post about more cuts was correct. Get ready Indy, you're gonna say bye-bye to more people as you continue to "hit" your numbers. If you aren't preparing your resume, you're a fool. You've got little more than two months. Think that it won't happen...back office will lose 1/3 of staff, ain't that right SM?? This isn't about MT, this is about the bottom line, Swiss finances, etc. Dx has shown to be inept in so many areas. Write FH as much as you want, you should spend your time searching job boards instead.

I am in process of working to ensure that Franz H is alerted to the comments on this site and that he is informed of the bold, and almost surreal, destructive arrogance that MT is exhibiting. Keep posting your concerns. I believe that the fear and intense heat MT is attempting to pour on the great people of Roche, will soon be reflected squarely back at him.

For those who consult in other industries, what MT is doing with the site is no worse that what occurs at other companies where "phase-outs" of operations are in the works. Especially in this economy, do not depend on the media to apply pressure.

Get out while you can, you will find that taking control of your own destiny gives you a new and renewed optimism for the future, that will transcend the Roche Indy "downward spiral".

Voice of Reason

my husband has been with roche for 11 years. suddenly all employees are asked to "clean out" files, old docs both digital and hard copy.
all of the artwork in the halls is gone?? with wholesale firings and all of this housecleaning, is a skinny roche NA really on the auction block with genentech as the new core biz? MT has been sent here to grind-up roche. he is not going to "change" because this is who he is, that's his job. i'm surprised that the news media has not been alerted to his heavy handed tactics. he has allegedly violated not only employee rights but has crossed ethical guidelines as well, guidelines that roche used to be all about! it looks like roche is a sinking ship and mt is the torpedo.

my view

Can't announce closing the site because meanwhile the Indy site has to hit it's sales numbers and contribution to global sales. Remember, the US is the largest market in the world (approx 32%) of global sales. To formally announce what is going to happen will kill the revenues and profits from the US market and adversely impact Roche Diagnostics' market valuation. What's going on here is really business 101, for those have seen it before.

Voice of Reason

Good info. That just goes to show none of us know what is going to happen. We should all just work as hard as we can and do the best job that we can.

In case you care: MT is not living in an apt in Indy. He is either renting a house or has purchased a house. Roche IT has been out there hooking up computers and printers. Just an FYI

Voice of reason:

reread the post!

The message clearly says that if the decision to close Indy has been made in Basel, then MT needs to have the testicular fortitude (balls!) to announce it in Indy and get it over with. Roche is not known to dilly-dally over important decisions such as this one, so I'm sure that the decision has been made. People simply want to know so that they can adjust their own plans as necessary.

As far as changing MT's style, no, I don't think the expectation is there that he will change, but that doesn't minimize the impact that his lack of leadership is having on the organization. Executing a painful strategy has nothing to do with being caustic, aloof and too many other adjectives worth typing.

Well spoken. If the Executive Committee has made a decision, do any of you honestly believe Tillman would rock the boat and go against them? He is a climber and has no desire to take even a single step backwards.

I say hang on and make them give you a severance, might as welll cost them some cash.

you are naive if you think a senior managers style will change because of postings. It is hard for MT to be nice when Basel has made the decision to move the site elsewhere (NJ, back to Germany, Switz, etc.). MT is executing a strategy that is unpopular and painful, yet someone has to do it.

The Indy site had it's day (through 2004 and before). Since the MM departure it has been one failure after another, Aviva, FDA, warning letters, missing sales no's., leadership instability, etc., etc. The decision from Basel to shut INDY down will take a few years. The more people that leave, the faster Basel can steer the move of key functions to other areas (and save severance). Does it make sense to have a "nice guy" leading the site when tough decision have to be made?

Folks need to stop hoping for the best, and understand Indy is not what it was, nor will it ever be. It is time to look elsewhere and position yourselves for a move to a company with a future once the economy picks up. Who wants to live with being on a sinking ship for even another 12 months. The pain as we all know is only accelerating.

Voice of Reason.

Great post! I do work for him and RDC and I share your concerns and agree with everything you said. We want leadership not just fear of our leader.

Thank you!

So I'm going to suspend my usual disbelief and consider that the one of the latest posts really is from MT. Even if it is not, rumors are that MT does read these posts. So here goes...

As the head of North America sales & marketing, MT, it is your responsibility to set direction, expectations, sales targets, etc. Those are the responsibilities of a *manager*. However, you also have the responsibility to be a *leader*. A leader engages his team with a vision, ideas, inspiration, etc. so that they *willingly* follow you to achieve (and exceed) the managerial expectations, sales targets, etc. Quite candidly and with no hate, MT, you are absolutely failing as a leader in Indianapolis. People truly fear you rather than follow you. I was in a recent leadership session and was astounded that people openly talked about the fear that you instill in the organization. Using fear as a motivational tool may have worked in other areas of the world - APAC - but it's not working here. Make no mistake, it's important to have goals and make people work to reach those goals, but at least in the US, you MUST be a leader as well as a manager.

One of your predecessors, MM, who is now with Millipore, was a good manager and a good leader. He was tough, but also was able to connect with many employees. People wanted to work for him. People exceeded expectations for him.

In your post, you state that you either "love it or leave it". MT, many people want to love Roche. After all, it has been a great place to work. However, people are losing hope, particularly because of your style. I am sure that there are many people that would like to "leave it" but cannot for many reasons.

It's not too late, but you have a lot of work to do.

Put an end to the rumors that the sales and marketing teams are moving to NJ. If they are, confirm it and be done with it. If you and the teams are staying in Indy, say so. Stop the rumors that you don't have an apartment here and only stay at hotels when in town. Stop the rumors about how much you hate Indy (the town).

Be more demonstrative in appreciating the work that your teams are doing. While there are some people that claim to be "coasting" rather than working, you will find a much bigger group of people that are working hard to make RDC a success.

Last but not least, LISTEN TO YOUR PEOPLE. ASK THEM FOR THEIR OPINION!!!! You will be surprised....

Oh by the way, I don't work for you. I work for RDO and thus have a vested interest in seeing your team succeed.

If MT would just put the rumors to bed about packing up and moving to NJ that would go a LONG way to improve motivation and teamwork at least at the Indy campus. The rumor was put to down in Dec. during his townhall meeting but then surfaced again last month which got everyone up on edge again. People only work under the threat of losing their jobs so well for so long then it starts to really affect their moral and moral in Indy is at an all time low. I have never seen it the way it is now for the 20 years I have been there.

mmmh...thinking what to reply
actually I can undertsand the anger if thinks do not work as they supposed to work .... but on the other hand...are still supporting the company?
It is not a love it /leave it thing...you seem to be full of hatred...can you still work with Roche?
and compared with guys and girls from apac...they see the same problems but react totally different...they take it as a thing they have to work with and they gain good numbers permanently (it is on lower basis, whatever, but engagement is totally different.

if you not feel comfortable...you have to leave..thats the way it is..blame me as a swiss/german whatever but where ever you are and work that is the game ...love it /leave it

NB btw i do appreciated some good answering on that not this destructive way
if you only can re act that way ...leave it

"Dear German colleague, make some shit we can sell and we will. You are the key problem. Where is a good TropI? Why was PSA 3 years late? Because you do not give a shit about the US or FDA. You and the rest of my German colleagues suck."

Bravo! The arrogance from Switzerland/German is legendary in the field. You can only hear "Zis is impossible, zis has nevah happened before" so many times before you want to kill the first German engineer you can get your hands on.

When are the German/Swiss going to acknowledge that there is a problem with the Na+ ISE electrodes and come up with a replacement? I know it's easier to say "Zis is impossible, zis has nevah happened before" whenever an FSR complains about it but you're pissing the customers off. And I've got better things to do than repeatedly work on instruments reporting low sodiums on ISEs.

Piling on the German colleague: Chrysler was never #1 in the US market and I seem to remember that the decent market position they held was sacrificed WHILE they were owned by a German company. Just like Mercedes, Roche think it can sell overpriced, if well-engineered equipment to an American marketplace that don't value it. Coincidence? I think you all must have attended the same business finishing school. Nice work, moron.

Okay - if you say another round of layoffs is coming in a few weeks you must either be on the exec committee or the ceo mt himself. Which is it? Unless it's us false and crappy rumor mongering to stir up posters here who have a venue to vent if they want to.

Dear German colleague, make some shit we can sell and we will. You are the key problem. Where is a good TropI? Why was PSA 3 years late? Because you do not give a shit about the US or FDA. You and the rest of my German colleagues suck.

sorry colleagues

but are you in indy the guys that perform like chrysler

get your ass in line and work to get roche #1 again

Poster sounds like a coward

Pull your head out of your a$$. No amount of complaining to upper management will change the work environment at Roche. Apparently you have gotten your hands on a few valiums and it has screwed with your mind a bit.

Look for another round of layoffs at the Indy campus in the upcoming weeks....

Anyone had the b*lls yet to challenge the status quo yet at Roche?
or are you going to continue to b*tch only?

Let's shift this thread from complaining to reporting on what we are doing to change this company!!! and giving momentum to this movement.......

e.g. has anyone contacted Humer (annonymously or otherwise)?

Pfizer employees are writing their congressmen because Pfizer is getting TARP money through Bank of America for the Wyeth acquisition. The issue is that the TARP money is being used indirectly to eliminate 13,000 jobs at Pfizer through this acquisition. Employee activism on this topic is starting to appear in the media.

Your job is your life, the company you work for can change, have the courage to do something aggressive to change what is wrong. What is the risk? The risk is continuing with the status quo at Roche. I hope you find the courage.......

It is difficult to feel good about a company (Roche) who's core values are centered around profitability at any cost, including:
* taking quality and regulatory shortcuts
* treating the customer and employees as 2nd class citizens.
* recruiting and promoting managers who are "chameleons", doing anything (ethical or not) to get ahead and meet the corporate goals.
* treating long term, dedicated employees like garbage.

Please add to the list.........

Send your complaints to Dr. Franz Humer, chairman of Roche:
franz_b.humer@roche.com

If you are woried about confidentiality, send the email from Kinko's

Look, I am a field employee and I can, with all honesty, say this. Since I have started there hasn't been a single thing that has made my job easier. The way business is supposed to be run is that the people who make more money are payed to make the jobs for the people "below" him/her easier. Smarter people make more money and we all know that a "smart" person takes something difficult and make it simple. Why do we continue to heap more and more work onto the employees without giving them the support they need? This is not a good business philosophy. Pretty soon people lose patience and quit if you continue to operate like this. Beware Roche management, if this economy picks back up it is well known by other companies that if you can make it as a Roche field rep you can work for ANY diagnostic company.

The reality everyone forgets is that MT, KK, JS, and SS are after the all mighty swiss franc. They could not care less about the employees, other than to achieve their stated goal of mo' money, mo' money, mo' money.

If you help them get to their goal, you "live another day", if not, they have no use for you, and get kicked to the curb. Plain and simple. So, stop looking for sympathy from them. If you reflect on it, none of those mentioned above talk about making Roche a better place to work, focus on the employee, etc. It is about making money.

If you accept that fact, then continue working for Roche. If not, get out.

MT has been very explicit about wanting to double sales this year. He is working towards that goal and will whatever tools he has to get there. Unfortunately, positive employee motivation is not in his tool box. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the guy. I think he is caustic and corrosive, but bitching about him is not going to change him.

I am telling you, MT is an incompetent, impotent leader. It is well know that you read this rumor mill MT. Wake up MT, look at how you are running this company into the ground! MT, have the courage and humility to accept that you don't know it all. You have good people who want to make a difference. You will not make any progress with continued floggings!

i agree with the last poster. we're not trying to kill indy, but with impossible numbers and other bull s*it, somebody inside needs to stand up to MT and global. don't be so afraid of your job--do the right thing! tell MT and global and finance when they're full of s*it... and how about actually fixing something and helping us. when was the last time you actually saw a customer?

"What you people in the field don't seem to care about or understand is that there are people in Indy, in support positions who work their butts off and who have families and if it is true you are not working to sell your not hurting MT you are hurting all of us.
Way to go! Real mature and real teamwork there!

How about when we all lose our jobs and you are partially to blame we come to you to help put food on our tables?"

Maybe you in Indy should quit trying to fuck over everyone in the field. Try doing your jobs right once in a while and maybe you wouldn't have problems with management. I can't remember the last install that didn't have some critical part missing from the install kit. Why are parts common to every Integra/Ampliprep instrument always on backorder? Things have gotten better since that idiot RY got fired. Two new area directors that don't have their heads up their asses is nice, too. WB has gotten more results in 9 months that RY did in 6 years.

Wow, Indy is becoming unglued! Demotivated workforce, blame and in-fighting. MT is a COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. His arrogant style and his brutal management approach have made him a lightening rod of controversy. At this point he is more than management dead weight, MT IS A BOAT ANCHOR FOR ROCHE!

What you people in the field don't seem to care about or understand is that there are people in Indy, in support positions who work their butts off and who have families and if it is true you are not working to sell your not hurting MT you are hurting all of us.
Way to go! Real mature and real teamwork there!

How about when we all lose our jobs and you are partially to blame we come to you to help put food on our tables?

Whoever posted the "slowdown" comment, thank you. I'm in sales and have only been working 20 hours week and nobody knows. If my manager ask what I'm doing, I say working with BOC. This is the best job I ever had!

MT must be thrilled with 2009 YTD performance! Why else would he, in the midst of aggressive cost controls, reward his leadership team with rights to fly first class at all times? Why would MT continue to spend Roche money lavishly on his own expense account? Maybe MT feels he is at the height of his success! I guess upon further reflection, this is the height of his success--it is all down hill from here as he falls farther and farther behind on his 2009 sales plan.

i'm in sales... LB is a very pretty woman. Someone told me MT's favorite movie is the crying game, with no german subtitles.

Is LB a man or woman?

I heard he also regards sales reps very much. He really likes LB...

Now I get the savior complex. MT is claiming that he is the savior! This makes perfect sense and is consistent with his ego mania! He has no regard for U.S. or he would not treat people the way he treats them. The only person he regards is himself.

In a marketing meeting MT told us that we were going to move to NJ but he stopped it all by himself. He told us it was because he has so much respect for the US team now. No one believes him. I wish I were in sales like the other guy so I could work 30 hrs.

What fool would float a rumor that MT is the "savior" of RDC in Indy? It might be more accurate to say that MT is the savior of the competition. He has done NOTHING but destroy value. Heard the centralized business MT is "savior" of is missing sales plan for first 2 months of 2009 by ~20%. He is now reaping what he sowed for the past 9 months an demotivate employee base that he will never be able to lead or inspire.

The Indy Diagnostic operation still has not completed the reorganization from 10/08. It is now 6 months later and as usual Roche pulled the trigger and has not completed the process. There is never enough time to do it right but always time to do it again and again and again. Typical of the inefficient culture of a disfunctional organization. Now rumor has it that they will move the diagnostics division to New Jersey after the Pharma organization moves to Cali. Maybe they think the economic climate in the land of fruits and nuts will be the recipe for success? When will they ever learn?

What's up with the rumor that MT is now the "savior" of RDC in Indy? My guess is that the decision is done and he is trying to salvage his image????