i can verify this isnt true, at least not across the board. i am not in management and i received my raise on time. in fact there was never even talk of deferred raises. im calling bull

There have been several posts that have said that annual raises at Siemens diagnostics were deferred from January until June or July as a cost saving measure. Some have indicated that management said that this was being done to minimize layoffs. As far as I can tell, the delay would have applied to all US sites. Since I do not work for Siemens, I cannot verify the truth of such posts.

"Speaking of raises"...i agree with just about everything you said. this site is full of hocum so its probably not a good measure for a lot.
i have seen the delayed raises statement quite a bit, i'm not sure what division that applied to can you fill in? i'm in diagnostics and wasn't subject to any sort of delay in my riase and i doubt i'm what you would call upper crust.

Speaking of raises, note that Siemens delayed annual raises for 6 months this year as part of their austerity program. This was right after they paid nice bonuses to the upper crust bonus-eligible crowd for last years' performance.

I'd also suggest that anyone who gets a 5% raise in these economic times must walk on water or work for a company that has so much extra cash they don't know what to do with it. From what I've read and heard, the 'average' wage increase for last year is in the 2-3% range at best.

There are also many other factors to consider when comparing GE to Siemens. Location is one, commute time and aggrevation is another, school quality (if you have kids), and availability of things like shopping, entertainment, restaurants, or any other 'quality of life' factors.

If you ask around, you will also find that both GE and Siemens have issues with how they treat employees and, of course, a lot depends on who you ask. Niether company has a good history of being worker-friendly and it may be that this issue is a wash. Furthermore, a lot of how you feel on the job depends more on your boss and colleagues than on company policy or how well the company is doing in your particular niche (both companies are giants with hundreds/thousands of niches each of which performs somewhat differently).

Finally, the last thing I would ever do is to make a decision based on anything you read about here. Too many of the posters (including me, to be honest) have their own agenda and you have no idea of who is lying and who is telling you the truth. Assuming that you have actual offers from both companies, you are in a position to ask some more questions and to dig a bit deeper (without offending your future employer, though). The only truly honest thing you might see here is someone like me who just wishes you good luck and hope that you can make a decision that you will be happy with.

not in management and i keep progressing. and keep in mind that personal career growth is entirely different from sales numbers. i wish the company was selling more, but i'm still performing well in my function (and all my previous ones). and those around me are progressing their careers as well. the whiners are stuck and those who are adapting are doing fine. now, the division needs to keep up but thats a different question from what was originally posted. and if you do well, there are other divisions you can work for if you so desire. the logic of the previous posters saying that everyone must be a poor employee is just asinine. if you think nobody else is advancing their career then you're just choosing to see what you want.
i had a conversation with another employee recently who said they didn't feel treated well because in their last review they only got a 5% raise. obviously the way you feel is a complete matter of perspective. i wouldn't feel mistreated at a 5% raise, but someone else did. so there's no standard by which we can measure how we feel were treated. and i've never worked at GE so i can't compare, but i know i'm treated well and given plenty of opportunities.

In Healthcare Imaging, if you want to work for an also-ran, pick GE. If you'd like to work for the market leader, pick Siemens.

Simple!

You are correct about the old systems and their overlap. This simply reinforces the notion that unless Siemens can develop a new platform for the future that can serve multiple market niches (primarily with respect to test volume), they have no real future. Simply upgrading their old systems won't do the job for customers and won't solve their wasteful redundancy problems. And without a new system, it is very hard to envision any scenario in which Siemens could see diagnostics, either in parts or the whole thing. I can't imagine anyone who would want to purchase just the Immulite business or the Vista/Dimension business, or the Centaur business. What would be the point of buying 20 year old technology and systems without the infrastructure required to develop new products?

So despite all of the skepticism about Trinidad, it almost certainly must be something real being developed. Without it, there is no Siemens future. The China-fire-sale strategy can't work long term, but could provide a financial bridge until Trinidad is launched. Siemens only other option is their long term China strategy about which little has been posted here or revealed to the public.

Very funny. :)

But it's not the employee's that are bad. It's the company. Maybe it's the German culture...I don't know.
But when you treat your people like garbage, have an R&D which just does facelifts on old equipment and then garage sale them off to China...it's a no future company.

People keep talking about Trinidad. Some new platform being worked on. Well, if this is true then it makes no sense keeping three lackluster platforms on the market, all with different reagents and manufacturing sites. VISTA, Centaur and Immulite.
It's easy to see that would also be financial suicide.
Personally, I don't think Trinidad is something that would save this Siemens division.
If they are to survive they need to get lean, cut low performing platforms and shutdown sites no longer needed.
Regardless,this company is an horrible working environment.
Go elsewhere.

This has now become an issue of perspective. So look at it this way:

Siemens has been losing almost every year since they entered diagnostics. It would be hard to debate this statement.

Following the logic of a previous poster, Siemens must be filled with loser employees since any organization is basically a reflection of those who make it up.

Any rational person can tell you that it is far easier to shine in a field of coal than in a field of diamonds.

Thus, any halfway decent employee will look like a star at Siemens whereas they would get lost in the masses in a company filled with excellent performers.

Go to Siemens. Siemens has the perfect environment and culture to allow anyone to stand out and advance.

____________________________

Bridge for sale: Call 1-555-23P-ONZI

if you cant excel at siemens, youre probably just a poor employee
END QUOTE

That explains it! Siemens is full of poor employee's.
Thank you oh great one for sharing your knowledge.

Isn't it amazing the things that management people say.

if you cant excel at siemens, youre probably just a poor employee. its tough, but siemens advances those who perform.
END QUOTE

Ha Ha...what a load of crap. For well past the majority of DX employee's there isn't any growth. In fact DX has no growth. As far as company standing in the diagnostic market it already fell from #1 to #4 in six years.
But feel free to come work for Siemens DX. Just don't expect any growth, any guidance and any love.
"...but siemens advances those who perform". Now that I love. Just kills me. Must be talking bout the circus division.

if you cant excel at siemens, youre probably just a poor employee. its tough, but siemens advances those who perform. if you perform well then you can expect to be rewarded for your efforts. if youre dead weight, youll get sandbagged until you quit. if youre looking for a job, it wont be for you. if youre looking to work, youll do well. pick a city, pick a career, if you want to change at any time they encourage moving between divisions. if youre ready to contribute then it will be good. otherwise, find something else.

Sorry, but anyone who chooses Siemens over ANY other company is totally nuts.
I've worked in a handful of other company's and Siemens takes the cake. Just going from #1 to less than #4 in six years should be more than enough to tell you bout this train wreck.
Now the only way for DX to stay in the game is to have an Agenda 2013 Garage Sale and dump as much instruments as possible out there.
Yes,they made some cash on the quarter but only because China came to the rescue. So how long you think that's gonna last?

Do yourself a big favor and look elsewhere.
I bugged out a year ago and doing much better at a competitor...and only took me 2months to get another job.
East Coast job market is definitely easing up a bit.

If this is your chosen field of employment then you need to stay as far away from Siemens as possible.
You will have: A)No future growth, B)A dysfunctional Management, C)did I mention "no future growth"
For someone serious in diagnostics this is not the place for you. It will most assuredly turn into one of the worst decisions of your professional life.
Yes, this Siemens Division is as bad as all these threads write about.

I vote for Siemens over GE.

That's news to me. I was under the impression that diagnostics systems and tests were considered to be medical devices. Live and learn, eh?

Please read original post CAREFULLY. Opportunity is in MEDICAL DEVICE division, NOT Diagnostics. There is no opportunity at Siemens DX...

If you have two job offers and you willingly pick Siemens DX...then you deserve every regret you get.
With so many threads about Siemens the past several years it's amazing you actually posted the question.
Do yourself a favor. Don't waste your career path on DX.

Maybe so but I've worked in several large companies throughout my career and, by far, Siemens DX is the worst.
If you're looking for a company where you can learn, grow, expand your career path...stay as far away from Siemens DX as possible.

Your time spent there will be a waste of your career path.
Considering all the product problems and backorders they continue to have should be a clear sign of where this division is going.

Even career Site Heads are leaving for other companies.
If anything, learn from them.

previous poster has it right - almost every big company has followed the Jack Welch corporate culture. If you're lucky, you may get to work for an individual who's supportive and positive and shields you from the worst of things but it's been shown in many studies that modern corporate culture cultivates sociopaths and control freaks.

Is it any different at GE or any other big company for that matter?

Perhaps Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum post says it best...

Run, don't walk, away from siemens.
Especially if you value customer service and delivery of promises.

For those who might get fooled:

Meet the new boss .....
Same as the old boss ....

Peter Townshend

This thread is nothing but an attempt to find subtle differences among various 'tweedles'. Do you prefer a 'dee' or a 'dum'?

May God have mercy on those who want to deliver quality products to the customer within Siemens. The hurdles you will face are gigantic and the headwinds of tornado force and your chances of success almost nill. But Godspeed to you anyway! Don't give up the good fight!

Funny Obama put in a plug for Siemens last night for creating American jobs. I have seen the opposite. We are forced to work with German component suppliers. It wouldn't be so bad but they know we are forced to use them and are not professional. They deliver black boxes with little documentation. They give minimal support when we have field issues. It is awful! But hey we saved German jobs! Our rotating German overlord management must score big points. They get promoted and return to the Vaterland leaving us "chump" Americans to clean it up. Don't get snowed Obama!!!!!

I'd stay clear from Siemens DX.
You'll have no future growth, no career path and left with wasted years of service to a company which could care less about you.
Most employee's at my site feel this way. The remaining few are deadwood waiting for retirement.
Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.

Suggest you read Jack Welch's philosophy on employment relations. 'Fire the bottom-rated 10% annually and replace them with frightened drones who are cheaper', appears to be the mantra.
Emulated widely in other US companies and some European, with wondrous results.

thats because G.E. are not a bunch of right wing psychos!!!