Good engineers, vicious management, oppressive environment, bureaucratic quagmire and politically treacherous - Firmware Engineer Abbott Employee Review

2.0
26 Apr 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Decent benefits, some nice people, mostly smart colleagues in the technical departments.

Cons

Amazingly dysfunctional IT - it is just astounding - I had to open the same work item a dozen times as they marked it completed without addressing it. Very oppressive feeling - people seem to be scared of each other, very cliquish. Life at ADC is more about looking smart and informed and less about producing results. Management is treacherous, unsupportive, vicious. They're glad to hire several contractors in India instead of engineers in California. Lots of pressure to donate money to select charities - managers are held accountable for their departments' donations to the CEO's old company/charity.

Explore other reviews about Abbott

5.0
3 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work life balance is great

Cons

Remote work opportunities are minimal.

2.0
15 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• Strong brand and market position • Talented individual contributors and subject matter experts sprinkled throughout the organization • Opportunity to work on products that impact many patients

Cons

These comments reflect experience within Abbott Diabetes Care. • Culture can feel political and risk-averse, with difficult issues often addressed indirectly rather than transparently • Decision-making is slowed by multiple layers of management, many of whom appear focused more on managing upward than enabling teams and execution • Long-tenured management structures can create limited accountability, discourage new ideas, and make modernization difficult • Some leadership styles feel hierarchical and dismissive of dissenting viewpoints, making it risky to challenge the status quo • Strategic thinking and decision authority are concentrated among a relatively small group of senior leaders, creating bottlenecks and limiting innovation • Office environments and ways of working often feel outdated compared to more modern organizations • Organizational responsiveness can be frustratingly low. Routine requests, decisions, and communications often require multiple follow-ups, creating unnecessary delays and reducing accountability • Promotions and performance assessments often lack transparency, leading employees to question whether advancement is based on impact, visibility, DEI, or internal relationships • Employees navigating significant career or life transitions may experience varying levels of support, visibility, and development opportunities, making career continuity and progression feel less predictable than they should be

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