Purposeful engagement around a noble cause

SCIENCE OF SUCCESS: Engineer Carl Carlson is seen in the Quality Control Sample Management Lab at Amgen in West Greenwich. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
SCIENCE OF SUCCESS: Engineer Carl Carlson is seen in the Quality Control Sample Management Lab at Amgen in West Greenwich. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

The West Greenwich offices of Amgen Inc. may have a more genuine core of employee satisfaction than other businesses, just based on what it does. The Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based company makes medications that help people feel better.

The company, with 20,000 global employees, doesn’t just mass-produce widgets and treat its employees well; it treats its employees well as part of a greater culture of care for others. Most of the estimated 715 who work for Amgen in Rhode Island know not only that they are appreciated, but also share personal satisfaction in the company’s goal of easing human suffering.

“We all know we’re here to serve patients,” said Nicole Miller, human resources director for Amgen in Rhode Island.

Amgen serves patients who have serious illnesses and unmet needs by discovering, manufacturing and delivering therapeutics in innovative ways, including the use of advanced human genetics.

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Its psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel just grew 24 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2016, to reach $1.33 billion. The company’s total product sales were up 7 percent for 2016 Q1, propelled in part by Enbrel; Prolia, which treats postmenopausal osteoporosis; bone-marrow stimulant Aranesp; and Neulasta, which is used to decrease infection risk.

Producing products that positively impact people “definitely does empower staff,” said Jennifer Bianco, Amgen’s head of corporate affairs for Rhode Island. Some employees have loved ones who are diagnosed with the very conditions the company works to treat, she said.

The innovative culture at Amgen naturally lends itself to folks collaborating and working together, said Miller.

“It’s an environment where people are naturally inquisitive and think differently,” she said.

By offering great diversity in working groups in regard to departments and employees’ levels within the company, new perspectives consistently drive new ideas.

“Amgen values culture here, it’s ingrained in the staff,” she said. “To work in teams, trust and respect each other … it’s key to how we’ve been successful.”

One way to analyze better team diversity: have the employees take the lead. Amgen Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, put employees at all different levels, in all different departments together to find new ways to promote inclusion, and how being diverse can make the company better.

“We focus on how it can have real, tangible impact on business,” said Miller.

Beyond meaningful work and broad collaboration, Amgen has a strong safety focus, professional and physical development opportunities, generous salary incentives and vacation offerings for employees.

When it comes to workplace safety, for example, last year Amgen saw injuries go down and submissions of safety-event evaluation cards – staff observations that are used in developing best practices – go up. It saw advances in ergonomics, communication and chemical management, according to the Amgen website.

“We have a huge commitment to staff development,” said Miller, “whether it’s formal job training, companywide leadership events or tuition reimbursement. We encourage them to take on different roles, and promote internal movement,” she said.

The 24-hour campus has an on-site gym, nutrition services and fitness classes, said Bianco. A metered walking trail is there for the convenience of employees who want to take a stroll after lunch or even hold a walking meeting. “In 2015, approximately 3,785 staff and their spouses/partners took our Walk to Wellness program challenge, logging more than 1.6 billion steps,” according to the company website.

In addition to ways to stay physically healthy, Amgen offers competitive base pay and regularly examines benchmarks to ensure it stays competitive in regard to salary, Miller said. With an eye toward a healthy work-life balance, when possible Amgen offers telecommuting and flexible work schedules. It also shuts down for a week twice per year – in July and December – so employees get time off, in addition to their vacation time.

“It all ties back to mission,” said Miller, of the company’s appreciation of its employees and efforts to unify them under a common goal: treating people through biotechnology. n

Employees in R.I.: 715

Anthony Pankau, vice president, Rhode Island operations

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