What it does: GSK's business is focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing
branded prescription medicines and vaccines, supplying immunization services through GSK
Vaccines, and providing consumer healthcare products. This includes innovative treatments
for HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer and other critical conditions.
Mission: GSK’s purpose is to discover and develop innovative medicines that help people do
more, feel better and live longer.
Size and presence: GSK is a global healthcare company with a presence in more than 100
countries and employs over 95,000 employees.
Best known for: GSK UK is best known for its healthcare products and services. They have
a long history of research and development, which means they have some of the most
innovative and effective treatments available.
The good bits: The pay is very good for the industry. Employees get a 10% discount on all
GSK products (including travel insurance) and other benefits such as free gym membership,
meals on Friday and lots of other small things like gift vouchers.
The not-so-good bits: The only negative thing about working at GSK is that sometimes it is
hard to find time for yourself because of the long hours that some people work.
GSK has been operating in the UK since 1887 when Thomas Beecham founded his St Giles
factory. In 1926, Beecham sold its first products outside England, marketing them under the name Glaxo. By 1974, it was known as Glaxo Laboratories Ltd.
In 1989, Glaxo Laboratories merged with Smith Kline Beckman (SKB) to create Glaxo Wellcome plc. In 2000, it changed its name to SmithKline Beecham plc (SB). In 2003, SB completed its merger with SmithKline Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SKP) to become GSK Group PLC, which became GSK PLC on June 1st 2004. Today, GSK UK has its headquarters in Brentford, west London, with further sites across the country.
GSK is committed to building a culture that fosters diversity and inclusion. This work involves creating an environment where all employees can reach their full potential, regardless of their background or identity.
The recruitment process in GSK UK is very transparent and clear. The first stage is to submit your CV and cover letter, which will be reviewed by the HR team. If you pass this stage, you will be invited to take several tests such as psychometric assessments, aptitude tests and personality tests. It will help them understand what type of role would suit them best within the company. After passing these tests, you may be invited for a face-to-face interview with one or more recruitment team members. The final stage before being offered a position is through a final assessment centre, where candidates complete sales presentations or management tasks. If all goes well, then congratulations - You're hired!
GSK is a great workplace, with opportunities for everyone from graduate trainees to senior managers. We offer excellent training and development programmes, an employee share scheme and competitive benefits packages.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for GSK UK employees is £27,000 ($34,000).
GSK is proud to be one of the largest private-sector contributors to UK science. They invest more than £200 million each year in research and development (R&;D) at their UK sites, as well as funding external research through their strategic partnerships with universities, medical charities and other research institutes. Their R&D investment supports a broad range of activities from basic research to applied science, including clinical trials, epidemiology studies, and translational medicine projects focused on public health issues such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus type 2.
GSK has been accused of bribing Chinese doctors to prescribe its asthma drug Seretide and
another asthma medicine called Advair. It is alleged that some doctors were paid £100-200
per the patient, they prescribed these drugs.