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Hey everyone, welcome back to The Leader Show with Lou Carter. We are privileged to have Herve Hoppenot, the CEO of Incyte as our special guest today.
Incyte is a prestigious multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in the United States. Established in 2002 due to the merger between Incyte Pharmaceuticals and Delaware-based Incyte Genomics, Inc., the company now holds dual headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, and Morges, Switzerland.
With that said, let’s find out what makes Incyte Pharmaceuticals a Most Loved Workplace®.
Lou prompts Herve to discuss what it means to him to run a “Most Loved Workplace®” and the factors contributing to the internal excitement at Incyte.
In reply, Herve explains that the company’s mission of changing medical practices, especially in cancer treatments, brings fulfillment and happiness to the team. This happiness is not just about the successes they’ve had but also about the journey they undertake, including the challenges of dealing with regulations and competition.
Herve also emphasizes the global nature of their work and how working on impactful projects and contributing to society leads to feelings of fulfillment and happiness among employees. This global perspective also allows them to connect more deeply with their customers. He elaborates on the competitive yet cooperative environment in the company and how everyone takes accountability for each other’s success.
Additionally, Herve talks about how their mission, competition, and teamwork combine to form a sense of fulfillment that is integral to their workplace happiness. He believes that this is a significant driver of the company’s recognition as a “Most Loved Workplace.” Its collective mission, efforts, and achievements are not only transforming treatments worldwide but also creating a profound sense of satisfaction among its employees.
Moving on, Lou discusses the high-stakes nature of Incyte’s work, particularly in treating autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, leukemia, and cancer. He underscores the urgency of the company’s mission, asking if there’s a shared understanding among the employees that their work is crucial.
Hoppenot responds by highlighting the company’s recent experience responding to COVID-19. He highlights how his team immediately began researching ways to counter the problematic lung inflammation associated with COVID-19. This led to the development and use of Baricitinib to manage COVID-related inflammation.
Herve emphasizes the sense of personal responsibility that employees feel and their spontaneity in initiating innovative work streams. This drive results in new applications in medicine, illustrating the deep commitment and innovative spirit within Incyte.
Next, the speakers discuss Incyte’s significant contributions during the COVID-19 crisis, particularly the development of pharmaceutical interventions that helped manage inflammation in COVID patients. Lou praises these efforts and expresses awe at the company’s role in the global response to the pandemic.
Herve further mentions the company’s long-standing work in cancer treatment, emphasizing the sense of urgency and accountability employees feel. He elaborates on the challenges of the process, including the long development timeline. Despite the challenges, the potential payoff – being able to offer treatments for conditions that previously had none – creates a profound sense of satisfaction and purpose among the team.
Lou then introduces a concept from an author named Masaru Emoto, who suggested in his study “Molecules of Emotion” that water molecules can respond differently based on emotions like love or anger. Herve humorously responds that they don’t yet have a pill for that.
On a similar note, Lou discusses the role that the happiness and love for Incytes has in driving its success. He proposes that the employees’ positive feelings about their work contribute significantly to the company’s achievements.
Herve agrees and underscores the importance of employee satisfaction in attracting top talent from around the world. He describes a self-fulfilling cycle where satisfied employees speak positively about their work at Incyte, leading to high-quality recruits joining the company. This is significant as most of the new hires have joined Incyte based on a connection or conversation with a current employee.
Herve strongly believes this positivity and the mindset of attempting unprecedented work are vital for Incyte’s future success.
Next, Herve discusses the company’s approach to breaking traditional hierarchical lines of command, promoting a horizontal structure with fewer intermediate layers of management. Incytes aims for direct communication and collaboration among its employees, fostering an environment that allows everyone to contribute their ideas freely.
Herve explains his effort to meet with every employee in small group settings, acknowledging that these gatherings have been particularly productive because of the unique ideas that surface from the employees. These interactions reinforce a sense of individual accountability, prompting employees to take the initiative in resolving issues and improving the company.
He also shares about the company’s Town Hall meetings, which include open Q&A sessions that are accessible to employees around the world, even those in different time zones, thanks to video conferencing tools like Zoom. These meetings encourage transparency and free inquiry, reinforcing the idea that all questions are welcome and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
Towards the end, Herve underlines the importance of recognizing employees as individuals with distinct needs and ambitions. He mentions that several innovative ideas have originated from the company’s small group meetings, proving the effectiveness of this method. In these gatherings, employees from different parts of the organization provide unique perspectives that often lead to new projects.
Herve also underscores the importance of employee benefits, describing how Incytes offers comprehensive health coverage and proactive care for their staff. He acknowledges that balancing professional responsibilities with personal needs is critical, mentioning that employees deserve respect, a sense of mission, and robust health insurance coverage.
Thank you for listening!
