Désirée went into action mode when layoffs hit Novo Nordisk: “I knew I could make a difference”

By: Maria Trustrup, journalist, Pharmadanmark

One Wednesday morning in September, the message arrives. The message most Novo Nordisk employees have feared.

The pharmaceutical company must cut jobs. And the scale is almost unbearable.

9,000 employees lose their jobs worldwide. 5,000 in Denmark.

The media are buzzing. Breaking news banners dominate every news site.

From the very first moment, the layoffs are described as “historic”, and no one can remember the last time a Danish workplace let go of so many employees in one single round.

“Even though it was mentally tough to witness everything, it meant a great deal that I was able to act.”

Even though the announcement was expected, the numbers come as a shock.

And the news means that Désirée Asgreen has to step fully into her role.

Désirée is chair of LASA. An employee club for Novo Nordisk staff working as leaders or specialists.

The club works to secure good terms for employees and acts as a link between management and staff. At the time, it represented around 8,700 Novo Nordisk employees.

Novo Nordisk has several employee clubs, and during layoffs these clubs play a key role.

They negotiate with management representatives, and Désirée’s task is to represent the LASA members.

LASA is not affiliated with a specific trade union. Its members include both non-union employees and members of different unions, including a significant number of Pharmadanmark members.

Who is on the lists?

As the layoffs approach, Désirée is given more and more information. She is brought into details very few people know and receives the first lists with names of colleagues who will be affected.

It is an extremely difficult position to be in.

Imagine knowing that a close colleague or a good friend in another department will be laid off in a few weeks – and not being able to say a word.

Désirée has only one option. Keep it confidential. And put on her best poker face.

“When we received the lists, I quickly decided to stay away from my own area. It is incredibly hard to face people when you know they are on a list, so I simply stayed away. That was probably my own defence mechanism,” Désirée says today.

“Being able to act made all the difference”

It has been around five months since the layoffs were officially announced.

Looking back, there is no doubt that the time before, during, and after the process was intense. At times, Désirée struggled to sleep, and having to say goodbye to so many good colleagues affected her deeply.

Even so, she believes she was not as mentally affected as many of her colleagues.

It is mentally exhausting not knowing whether you will be affected and being unable to influence anything. Being completely powerless.

That was not the case for Désirée.

She could actually do something. Make an impact.

“I knew exactly what was happening, and I knew I could make a difference for the people affected,” she says.

“In a way, I went into action mode. Even though it was mentally tough to witness everything, it meant a lot that I could act.”

An intense logistical nightmare

Once Novo Nordisk announced the number of layoffs, a long period followed where affected employees were informed.

During this time, Désirée worked almost around the clock.

LASA representatives and members from other clubs sat together in one room coordinating everything. The atmosphere was intense. Sweets and snacks were delivered constantly, and gallows humour became part of everyday life.

“If there was something specific about an individual, we asked for an explanation of why that person had been selected – and we often challenged the decision.”

The clubs sent out ongoing information, answered questions, and did everything they could to support colleagues. At the same time, they coordinated with management representatives on new details triggered by employees’ questions, and the overall Q&A was continuously updated.

LASA also reviewed the lists of employees to be laid off. Criteria were set for particularly vulnerable employees, such as those who were pregnant, on sick leave, or close to retirement.

“If there was something special about a person, we asked for an explanation of why that individual had been selected – and often we challenged the decision,” Désirée says.

One of the club’s major tasks was to act as support persons during meetings between management and the employees being laid off.

LASA normally has a group of around 25 to 30 volunteer support persons who step in when a colleague needs help in a difficult conversation. They act much like union representatives. But since LASA members are not covered by a collective agreement and therefore do not have union representatives, the club has established this support function instead.

During the weeks when the layoffs were carried out, the support persons were extremely busy. Coordinating who should be where and when across the many Novo Nordisk sites was a logistical nightmare.

“There was an enormous amount of planning involved. Novo Nordisk has so many locations. We could not attend all meetings, so instead we set up support rooms where people could come. Dismissals took place individually or in groups. It was intense,” Désirée says.

An indispensable partner

From the very beginning, Désirée made it clear that she wanted her vice-chair involved throughout the process.

“I did not want to stand alone in this, so Janus (Krarup, ed.) attended every single meeting with me,” she says.

Practically, it would have been impossible to manage alone. Mentally, it was just as important to have a partner.

“It was crucial to have someone to lean on. Janus was the only person I could share everything with, because he knew it all as well. It meant a lot to have someone to call when things became too overwhelming.”

Désirée emphasises that the collaboration between LASA and management representatives throughout the process was built on trust and mutual respect.

“It mattered that we shared a confidential space defined by trust and humanity. Everyone wanted the process to be as respectful as possible and to ensure fair terms to those affected.”

Novo was – and still is – the dream workplace

Although Désirée repeatedly points out that the process was harder for many colleagues than for herself, there is no doubt it was also a difficult time for her.

Meeting colleagues with tears in their eyes every day takes its toll.

“It was a shared priority for all parties that the process was handled as respectfully as possible and on fair terms for those affected.”

When it was all over, Désirée needed to relax. She does that best at her summer house.

“It is my go-to place. I went there and was completely alone or with my husband. I did not talk to anyone, and I did nothing. That always helps.”

Asked how she feels now, her answer is “actually okay”.

The atmosphere at Novo Nordisk is still somewhat unsettled, and many people have not fully found their footing yet.

But Désirée is happy to be back in her “real” job. She works as a project director in AMSAT (Aseptic Manufacturing Science and Technology), a support function for production. She leads various projects – and she loves it.

“It is meaningful, and I am happy when I go to work. The days never look the same,” she says.

She has worked at Novo Nordisk since 1997. In fact, she already knew during her engineering studies at DTU that Novo was her dream workplace.

“We visited the Kalundborg site during our first six months at DTU, and I told myself that I would work at Novo Nordisk. That became my goal.”

Remember those who are still here

Désirée graduated from DTU in 1994, and three years later her dream came true when she joined the pharmaceutical company.

During her 28 years at Novo Nordisk, she has held many different roles, and the company has changed significantly since her first day.

Despite the intense past six months, Désirée still cares deeply about her workplace. She chooses to look ahead and believe that what happened was the right decision for Novo Nordisk in the long run.

After going through a process like this, she says, you need closure. Otherwise, bitterness takes over, and that benefits no one.

“Of course, it has been hardest for those who were affected and are no longer part of Novo. But we also have to remember that 70,000 people still work here,” Désirée says.

“And it is also our task as a club to support those who remain – and to engage in the discussions that matter now. For example about titles, remote work, and other issues. One thing is certain: the LASA board is ready to take these dialogues, and we will continue our work with great energy.”

FACTS: What is an employee club?

• An employee club is a forum where employees can seek influence over their working conditions at a specific workplace.

• Clubs are primarily a place to discuss pay and terms and to cooperate with management, but many also organise social events and act as a social link between colleagues.

• In some clubs, membership of a trade union is required. In others, it is not.

• Some employee clubs are supported by trade unions, while others only have informal cooperation and are financially independent.

• LASA is one of the largest employee clubs at Novo Nordisk. LASA stands for Leaders’ and Specialists’ Association.

• Novo Nordisk also has other clubs, such as NAF, which stands for Novo Akademiker Forening.

• LASA has around 2,500 members but represents many more employees, as it represents all leaders and specialists at the company. Today, LASA represents around 8,000 Novo Nordisk employees.