Lilly layoffs reflect new corp. culture

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Lilly is the 10th largest pharmaceutical company in the world. Its size, success and corporate culture have long enabled many employees to spend their entire professional careers there. But that kind of corporate culture is changing.

Career consultants are telling new graduates they can expect to change jobs as many as 10 times over a 25-year career.

Employees once hoped that a job at Lilly meant a job for life. Founded in 1876, it's long been seen as the symbol of corporate stability. But the news that Lilly will soon be 5,500 employees leaner doesn't surprise Lilly lifers like Gary Stach.

"All businesses are extremely competitive today and the pharmaceutical industry is no different," said Stach.

Stach should know. He worked for Lilly for more than 27 years and retired in 2006. When he joined Lilly in 1978, he began working for the pharmaceutical giant with the hope he'd be there for his entire career.

"I don't think that you can expect that today," said Patty Prosser, managing partner of Career Consultants OI Partners. "And I think that young people coming right out of college already anticipate that they're not going to stay with one employer for a full career."

Prosser said today's employees must diversify the skills and talents they bring to the job.

"They have to take ownership of their career because an employer is not gonna take ownership of it,” Prosser said.

She urges employees to find new and creative ways to enhance their skills by volunteering for projects outside their original skill set.

That's exactly what Stach did during his tenure with Lilly. He worked in a dozen different jobs, many of which were outside his original skill set. He was able to retire at 52 and now he spends much of his time volunteering for the Wellness Community, a non-profit that provides support services for cancer patients.

He advises new employees to develop new skills and demonstrate their value to the company on an almost day-to-day basis.

Career counselors say employees must be willing to learn new skills and become valuable in several areas. Make yourself so valuable to the company that getting rid of you is costly.

Lilly retirees and market watchers agree that what is happening at Lilly is indicative of the leaner more competitive corporate structure we see nationwide, and employees must adjust to the changes by diversifying your skills.