Not worth all of the time and effort that you will put in for the little care and professionalism management shows in return.
The Job Experience
The job offers a lot of opportunity with no compensation in return. You only get a raise for learning how to do VPs and then if you move up. The issue with this is you will learn so much more and have the opportunity to learn so much more with nothing in return. The opportunity to become a trainer is there for you (if the supervisor likes you) with absolutely no pay raise or compensation for that choice. This opportunity will also not help you move up, as they will move someone up less experienced than you and give them the training that you already have. The game of favorites is spoken of by all employees and the person who will argue this is the center manager, who to most feel is strongly disconnected from the employees he promised to make a change to. For what you are doing, what you are working with, and the effort you put in, the job is not worth the stress. One thing to note is as a part timer, they have no problem working you past your shift well over 8 hours without giving you lunch.
Management
You have your upper management, management, supervisors, and lead techs. Honestly outside of two really amazing managers and the lead techs; upper management, management, and the supervisors could honestly care less for the employees. Most will address you with an attitude and majority as a whole will gossip about employees and show them little respect. Most of the time they are in their offices with about 10% to 20% being on the floor and helping. The t
ProsNurses give amazing advice, the other employees (not management) will train you when management won't
ConsManagement (Supervisors, and Center Manager included), Not knowing when you are going home, overworked and underpaid, communication
If you like a fast paced work environment, this is the place for you. Lots to learn and lots to do. Highly regulated industry and a lot of domestic and foreign regulatory organizations to keep happy.
I like this job because of the regular donors who come in and many of my coworkers. I enjoy the developing relationships and I am proud to be working in an environment that actually helps people.
With regards to donors, we all understand that donors come in for various reasons and mainly because they need some money. However, our primary reason for being there is to collect plasma that is used to save lives. When someone is deferred it is not becuase they are being picked on, singled out, or disrepescted. It is because we have to think about the person who will eventually receive the medication/treatment the plasma is turned into. No, that pimple on your arm or that runny nose or that higher temperature is not a big deal to you, but if it was your child depending on the medication, wouldn't you want to make sure it was collected from someone who is comepletely healthy?
At our center we have a lot of great, friendly, fun employees. However, the biggest employee issues we have (and these issues do impact donor wait times and team morale) are 1. employees complaining to donors when they do not like a process or decision implemented by the management team, 2. employees arguing with whoever is supervising the floor, 3. employees purposely go slow to avoid work (not talking about ne
Prospretty good pay, plenty of overtime, plenty of advancement opportunities
First of all, let me apologized with this lengthy review, but I want to make sure future candidates sees this, as some of you might be considering leaving your current job to join Biolife.
-Schedule: Unless you are part of management or the lead, you are not guarantee 40 hours even as a full-time employee. You will be lucky to get 35 hours a week as a full-time employee. The only day you work 8+ hours are Monday and Saturday, but since you're not getting 40 hours, those Saturdays are not overtime pay and regardless if you work days-or-not, you will have to come in at 7am on Saturday and work until close. Chances are also, if you are working a Monday on that week, you'll get Saturday off and vice versa.
When the building closes, this does not mean you get to leave right away. Since there are donors who loves to come in after the door closes we have to wait for the last donor to finish, before you can start your closing duties and go home. Closing duties are set from 1-7, with 7th being the last is usually the last to leave while the others get to leave first. Closing duties varies every day, but you will be surprised as how some always get to leave first and some always stuck being last.
-Break: This is how break works here: You come in at the start of your shift -- about an hour later -- they start break. This wouldn't be an issue, but this is the only break you'll get unless you're working Monday and Saturday, where you'll get a 30 minutes unpaid lunch also. Break a
ProsClose to home for me, interacting with the donors
ConsBreak, management, overwork, schedule and environment
Consider this place a stepping stone of sorts; you can work here and earn a paycheck, but that's about it. A sense of fulfillment or value quickly fades away after a year once you're doing the same thing over and over day after day. If you have any other skill of endeavor you'd like to pursue, work on that while you're here and leave ASAP.
You'll be on your feet walking up and down the building for 8+ hours a day and not allowed to sit on anything or lean because of "professionalism" and your measly 5 - 10 minute break or lunch isn't even mandatory since there are no labor laws protecting you. You can spend the entire day there without any sort of relief.
While job advancement is usually immediately available and the only source for a decent pay raise, training is at the discretion of management so if you're not one chosen from your group of new hires, you'll be left months behind while one single golden child is pushed too rapidly through other training to get them in a certain position in the left amount of time possible.
The company is extremely strict about their metrics and numbers relative to other centers. Unfortunately though, the center here is one of the worst in the nation. Processing times are astronomically high, yield is dismally low, and the center is probably number one in the nation for employee turnover. Even transfers from other centers who have come down to help have entirely left BioLife after their experience with our management team. While not
ProsGreat 401k and insurance, meet many people, laboratory experience
ConsMonotony, Breaks are luxuries, On your feet 8+ hours a day, hours cut regularly, 2% raise per year, terrible management team
I worked for this company for over a decade and had my fair share of ups and downs. Progression was difficult if you ever showed an inkling of anything your superior did not like - personal things, lifestyle choices, appearance, ideas and most of all - speaking your mind. Having a free will and expressing your thoughts and opinion will only hold you back, as a majority of the ones who progress are either programmable drones or suck-ups. The best thing about this job is the benefits. This is something that is noted on many occasions by the employer, however, we live in a time where we want things now and such benefits do not play in to the workplace environment.
What kept me around was my will to never give up, and I wanted to climb the ranks so that I could improve the environment and culture for my co-workers of past, present and future. I wanted to help improve the image of the company and have people actually like their job, but this was more than an uphill battle. The company's goals are relentless and more is always wanted, with less resources. This may be standard for most companies, but you cannot successfully do such things if you are not keeping the employees happy.
It is extremely hard, fast, busy work for the production floor workers. I was in these positions for the bulk of my tenure, before making it to management. My goal and desire was to help reshape the center I was in, and eventually the company as a whole to bring back the pride employees have, with
ProsBenefits
ConsRelentless Expectations, Goals, Unstable/Inconsistent Company Goals
Let me start by saying that Biolife is not a clinic/hospital, it is a plasma donation center. They are open six days a week and are only closed on Sunday. The only holidays you have off are Thanksgiving, Xmas and New years. The other holidays are open as schedule ... and chances are a regular full day.
The standard work day for a phlebotomist(s) is to hooked the donors to the plasmapheresis, perform venipuncture and in short, babysit the donors until they're done with their donation. You spent all day on your feet until your break time; however, breaks are very limited. Breaks are given between the first 2 hours of your shift, paid 20 minutes break, seems fair right? No, because this is your ONLY break of the day unless you're working 8 hours then you'll get an 30 minute unpaid lunch.
However, most employees at Biolife are only scheduled to work 7-7 1/2 hours a day, so imagine taking your break the first hour and going the rest of the day without a break. Need to use the bathroom? You'll have to get someone to cover for you. Seems fair again right? No, because the staff are usually shorthanded due to a high turnover rate and when it gets busy, there is no guarantee that someone will cover for you.
At Biolife, you'll work rotating weekends, however, when you're working Saturday—you won't get pay time-and-a-half—because it is your regular work hours and chances are: you are no where near the 40 hour mark to qualify for OT. Which defeats the purpose of working Saturda
ProsBenefits and three day weekend
ConsLimited break, high turnover rate, overwork, working holidays and mismanaged
BE WARNED: After working here, you will leave with clinically diagnosed depression, low self-esteem/self-worth, crippling anxiety, and skills that do not transition well into other companies.
This job is modern day slavery. A typical day at work is stressful before you even clock-in. Fellow employees will be grabbing at you for help the second you walk through the door. Everyone is miserable, which makes the work environment dreadful and hostile. The management model operates under two mentalities: "you live for this place" and "guilty until proven innocent". Management plays favorites. The facility functions like a high school in the sense that there are cliques, brown nosing, gossiping, and sabotaging. Management has inappropriate relationships with subordinates. Those employees get promoted. Having an opinion of any kind or speaking your mind will result in fabrication of events in an attempt to taint your name/work ethic and termination. The workplace culture is extreme emotional and mental bullying. The company values metrics and revenue, you are a cog in the big machine, you are easily replaceable and they will make you feel that everyday.
The hardest part of the job is being forced to smile through it all and being subjected to abuse while still having to operate at peak performance. The most enjoyable part of the job is going home and eventually being able to hand in your resignation letter.
+ 3 weeks of PTO upon hire
+ 2 weeks of sick pay
+ benefits upon
People would often talk about each other behind their backs. The supervisors and managers were absolutely horrible. They would pick favorites. If you weren't their favorite, they would make the work day very difficult. The favorites were allowed to walk around the building and talk with whoever they wanted while the others would often get yelled at for doing small, insignificant things. My first year of working here got progressively worse. The other years were unbearable.
The supervisors and managers start out seemingly nice. Eventually, they would completely ignore you. The managers even bumped up hours without asking or giving notice. Once you think of quitting, they finally pay attention and treat you with the respect that should have been given in the first place. Supervisors contradict each other often on the floor; each tries to show they have more authority over the other. It would often end with employees being sent to different sections repeatedly with a confused expression on their face.
Other coworkers will never pick up shifts. Even if you have covered for them before, they will refuse. It is so difficult to get a shift covered here. When you're sick, you have no other choice but to call in. Getting a doctor's note is still an occurrence.
On the floor, you are forced to work long hours. When it's busy and you're thirsty or have to go to the bathroom, you have to wait until after close. Supervisors will tell you it's not of importance and walk off. These same s
BioLife has undergone a significant cultural transition over the course of the last 3 years. During that time frame it has been owned by just as many different companies.
Originally there were numerous opportunities for advancement and adequate resources to staff each center according to meeting center metric goals. However, the company has taken a different approach, and placed increased focus on the bottom line. There are now unrealistic expectations concerning the ever upward trending volume goals. Which is accompanied by a diminishing budget for hours.
The increase in revenue that accompanies a positive trend in productivity has caused many facilities to be limited to hiring only a skeleton crew. As such, centers are accompanied by a feeling of constantly being "down by 1 person" in the areas. Not to mention the ramifications of any potential call-ins or vacation requests.
Despite the excellent benefits and extensive training offered at BioLife. It seems the daily stress levels takes a significant toll on the staff. This is exacerbated by the inspection ready state all facilities must maintain, especially when the staff are not paid an adequate wage for such expectations.
It is common to find other entry level positions at local fast food facilities, fuel stations, and call centers with similar or better hourly pay structures. This is not a dig at any of those other professions, but rather acknowledging the contrast with the highly regulated nature of running
ProsExtensive training, solid benefits
ConsInadequate compensation for the stress, especially for the line staff.
A positive work environment, with a great staff and job satisfaction.
I opened the center everyday for operation and assisted with the processing of donors to help with productivity. Everyday was a training day for me either maintainng records, conducting a training session, renewing certification for an employee as well as management duties.
The management staff worked together to accomodate personal schedule preferences. We presented a model of team work and a positive attitude to promote a healthy work attitude to achieve our goals in growing our center.
The staff at Bio-Life worked together as a team. We strived to create fun work environment while increasing productivity and a welcoming environment for our donors.
I learned the importance of a positive work environment not only for the staff members but also for our donors (customers). We enjoyed coming to work and our donors were happy while spending time with us making their plasma donation. The center has been closed for 10 years and we still communicate with one another and talk about how great our jobs were and how much fun we had working together.
The most enjoyable part of my job was training new employees and teaching them a new skill. Working with each staff member to explore time efficient ways of performing their duties to increase donor turnover.
The hardest part of my job usually occured after hours. As part of management staff we were responsible for being on call 24 hours a day. When a freezer would malfunction, we would be called in when the temperature would reach a d
Prosgreat benefits, excellent work atmoshphere, great teamwork, structured program
Consworked under the threat of being closed if donor goals were not met.
Questions And Answers about BioLife Plasma Services
If you were in charge, what would you do to make BioLife Plasma Services a better place to work?
Asked Nov 12, 2019
Proper training with available, qualified trainers. A separate room for training, not in a clustered office with lots of distractions and no one to assist you when you have questions. More computers for training, not shared computers or tablets without secured WIFI. A more professional environment that monitors noise levels. Employees get really loud, making the center look like a “flea market”! Stop over-booking donors when under-staffed to avoid unnecessary stress for the already over-worked staff and eliminate creating rooms for errors. Finally, stop promoting by “favoritism”!
Answered Jul 24, 2021
Value and show appreciation to the employees. Stop trying to act like a cold corporation.
Answered Oct 10, 2020
Do they drug test only when they first hire you or do they drug test throughout employment as well?
Asked Oct 21, 2016
Only upon hire. I'm a current employee and have never had to do another drug test.
Answered Dec 9, 2019
They drug test before hiring and during employment. To be honest every time they did a random drug test they picked out employees they were 99% sure would pass. Now if you are obviously on something you will get tested after being hired.
Answered Jul 10, 2019
How long does it take to get hired from start to finish at BioLife Plasma Services? What are the steps along the way?
Asked Jun 20, 2016
It took 2 weeks from the time that they offered me the job until my first day I worked.
Answered Dec 9, 2019
All applications are sent to the main Human Resource office first and picked through. They decide on which applicants get sent to plasma center. If you are called it will be 2 or 3 interviews. First interview with supervisors. If they think you have potential then you will interview with assistant managers on a different day.
Once you receive an EMAIL from human resources stating you have been hired the process goes very fast. Keep up with your emails because they will tell you when to go for drug test and how long you have to complete test. You must esign a lot of paperwork. If you miss or ignore emails or text you do not get a 2nd chance.
Once hired you will start training immediately for 2 or 3 days watching videos and reading materials. After you've completed the video training you will shadow a trainer for a bit then be shadowed by a trainer until your training hours are complete.
Good luck
Answered Jul 10, 2019
How often do raises occur at BioLife Plasma Services?
Asked Jul 22, 2017
Raises occur for all employees once a year usually around March. Individual raises are given every time you train and pass the test for new area. The more you push yourself and learn a new area the more you will make. Sometimes you must stay on top of management and trainers for advancement.
Answered Jul 10, 2019
You will be considered for a yearly raise based on work performance and a cost of living raise is applicable.
Answered May 28, 2019
What is the most stressful part about working at BioLife Plasma Services?
Asked Feb 20, 2017
Extremely strict attendance policy. Given sick time benefits (70 ish hrs) but can only use 6 days before terminations. No exceptions. It makes it difficult for people with families and any medical issues.
Answered Feb 9, 2020
Not enough beds for all the people waiting to donate.
