Is working 25 years in the same company an advantage or a disadvantage?

I knew I wanted to work for Novo Nordisk even before I graduated as a pharmacist. In Denmark Novo Nordisk is a very well-known company and having Novo Nordisk listed on ones CV would be an advantage in any job hunt going forward.

Hence I was very excited and proud when I was hired in a graduate position in August 1992. I distinctly remember thanking my new boss many times for the opportunity and I made a promise that I would not let her down and always perform at my very best.

Since then Novo Nordisk has gained more than 10 times in value and volume of employees but the very positive culture of the company has always been intact.

The Biotech/Pharma industry has had its ups and downs in the past 25 years and so has Novo Nordisk with a few very challenging years of going truly global and conquering the US market and facing the quality requirements of FDA. But overall I have been very fortunate to work for a company with a surplus of funds and opportunities. This means I was granted access to educate myself beyond my pharmacy degree and take and sMBA at Copenhagen Business school, and use this knew knowledge in my daily work. I have been given opportunities to grow and have been able to gain a stable network within the organisation which has been a true advantage for reaching my personal goals and delivering on business targets.

A disadvantage is the “not invented here syndrome” where one has a tendency to believe that only process and products invented within the company is of value, so there is a risk of lacking to embrace ideas and innovation from “outside the walls”. I have ensured to maintain a very active network with people from other Biotech/Pharma industries and on many occasions tried to be a front runner in implementing new ideas.

My personal footprint from the past 25 years which I am proud of having delivered is three things:

1.   The idea and implementation of project opportunity in Novo Nordisk ~ a project that redefines the way we look at talent and aims at integrating people on the autism spectrum into the workforce

2.   Spearheading a project with a new and innovative ultra fast meal time insulin -  from the first human dose trial through clinical development and the regulatory process to the marketing authorisation approval in Europe and hopefully soon US - with super exciting patient feedback on social media

3.   Being trusted by fellow colleagues who elected me to be employee representative in the Novo Nordisk Board of Directors

These are all things I would never have achieved if I had not stayed in the same company for 25 years and I do think I can with peace at heart say that I have always delivered at my best, and kept the promise I made when I was hired

All this having been said – I do think that it does add value to change company or at least your position within a company at least every 3-5 years in order for one to fully develop to be the best one can be. I have as an average stayed 3 years in the same position and also spent time in two affiliates in order to strengthen my international understanding.

So to conclude: If you have the option to grow within the same company it can be an advantage to stay for many years – if not, then the disadvantage becomes larger than the advantage, and it would be only healthy to switch jobs from time to time- in my view.

So a true dilemma as to how my next many years in the workforce should be :) - or perhaps not...?