Updating Results

GSK

4.5
  • #1 in Pharmaceuticals
  • > 100,000 employees

George Ham

6.00 AM 

I don’t know why but even with a good night’s sleep, there is always a temptation to go back to sleep.

6.30 AM 

I make way to the gym. Time to wake up by engaging those muscles!

8.00 AM 

I’m on my way to work from the gym. It’s always busy around this time with commuters but I can be at peace with my earphones on.

8.30 AM

I grab a desk and get ready for the day by first connecting my laptop to the screen. We have free seating so I can literally sit anywhere but I like standing desks because I can alternate between sitting and standing.

GSK Graduate- Young male professional working on his laptop.

8.45 AM

After checking my email and calendar, I write down my priorities for the day and make my way to the kitchen. I like the convenience of not having to carry my breakfast around and just keeping my necessities in the office kitchen. The menu is often vegemite (or marmite) on toast or fruit and yogurt salad.

9.15 AM 

I’ve finished my breakfast (I’m a fast eater!) and start off work by breezing past any admin tasks or sending off replies to emails I received overnight. This gets me in the rhythm of working and there is no better feeling than to tick things off the priority list.

10.00 AM

If I do have a morning meeting, it’s usually around 10.00 am. Today my manager is checking in to discuss the progress of my work and help me decide on a few sticky issues and prioritise. It’s quite casual but at the same time, you develop a strong bond with your manager. GSK NZ is a very lean organisation where you get exposure to many things. Focusing on key initiatives is one of the biggest learning of my IBL journey so far.

GSK Graduate- A young male professional having a meeting with colleagues.

11.00 AM

It’s time for a cup of coffee. A bit later than others perhaps but Nespresso machine in the kitchen is always available and it makes pretty good coffee. So over a cup of coffee, I like to have a chat with whoever is around. Literally everyone is up for a chat and you always learn something new.

GSK Graduate- Two young professional getting coffee at the kitchen.

12.00 PM 

I often have lunch in the office but today I’m heading out with a bunch of colleagues to try out a new place that has just opened. Being in the CBD, the option for food is endless. We also go for a walk along the waterfront after lunch to stretch our legs and enjoy the view.

1.00 PM

Coming back into the office, I go into a quiet room, designed for us to use when making phone calls and joining teleconferences. I’m on a phone call with an external stakeholder to discuss how I could take my project forward with them. Whether it be customers or agency, internal or external, building professional relationships is another key learning from my IBL journey so far.

GSK Graduate- Young male professional joining a teleconference.

2.00 PM

I’ve got time to myself on the desk to work on my project and put together everything I’ve gathered through discussions with different stakeholders. I find it important to leave some time for myself to digest and really think through what my work means to the recipient and how it should be best presented. Working in the pharmaceutical industry and therefore impacting patients’ lives, I need to be extra vigilant. Having said that, being able to impact patients’ lives, when you think about it, it’s an awesome thing to get up in the morning for! (That’s why I can wake up at 6.00 am, you see.)

3.00 PM

Working in a corporate, I have many more colleagues overseas. With New Zealand ahead of everyone in time zone, I often interact with my overseas colleagues around this time. Today’s afternoon meeting is about supply update on key medicine GSK supplies. There is a culture of asking questions at GSK and although quite junior, my queries for the supply of certain medicine are taken note of and addressed. Working in market access, it is critical to make sure that medicines arrive on time because this can have a huge impact on patients’ lives. Often the cross-functional team works to ensure a stable supply of medicine for NZ patients.

5.00 PM

After an eventful day, it’s time to pack up. It’s always nice to revisit the priority list I made in the morning and seeing them all ticked off. I make a list of things to do tomorrow and send a few last-minute emails before shutting down my laptop.

5.30 PM

I arrive at Victoria Park for a game of touch rugby. GSK participates in a corporate league and has games every Monday after work. It’s a good opportunity to bond with colleagues even more.

7.00 PM

After a hot shower, I make myself dinner and take time to relax for a while. I find resting to be just as important as working and I do things like watching on Netflix, listening to music, reading a good book, or just browsing on the web.

9.30 PM

It’s time to do a bit of studying. GSK has a huge emphasis on personal development and my manager especially has been supportive of my initiative to pursue a postgraduate degree. Come the end of the year, hopefully, I can tick off this development item too!

11.00 PM 

I’m back on the haven of my bed. I message and chat with my friends, but I usually dose off quite quickly because… well, I’ve got another day of impacting patients’ lives, haven’t I?