Avantages
For the Canadian division of LifeScan, the people both in the field and at the Home Office are bar none among the best you'll ever meet. While functional silos exist, generally most staff collaborate and bond with each other well. There's a fair amount of autonomy; a "gung ho" attitude prevails to get the job done. Culturally, while the company adheres to the larger J&J Credo values, in many ways it feels like a small company - mostly the better parts. Very process and results oriented as a whole - everyone knows their job and what is expected of them. Work-life balance is great, atmosphere and dress is casual. Comp tends to be competitive. Working at LifeScan also opens up doors to the greater J&J family in terms of lateral or upwards career moves.
Inconvénients
LifeScan is in the medical devices market, which combines (arguably) the worse of both retail and pharma environments; this makes for challenging regulatory requirements which can lead into a byzantine bureaucracy of its own. IT is the big exception for collaboration at LifeScan - very frustrating to deal with, tends to hobble staff. Upward and lateral career opportunities within LifeScan tend to be relatively few. Staffing is lean, which means more work for the few - and usually with fewer and fewer resources. Senior management tries their best, but is ultimately hobbled by having to march to the beat of Global Headquarters, both in terms of overall company direction and product. Internal communications sometimes leave a few things to be desired.