production operator

bilingual customer service associate

customer service representative

brand ambassador

web administrator

Advanced Orthomolecular Research

AOR is a very disorganized, chaotic and unprofessional company. Employee morale is low, and staff turnover is very high. While there are a few small perks, I would generally not recommend working there.

AOR is a family-run business, and as such anyone in the family or close to the family is treated differently from other employees. Those not in the inner circle are treated with disdain and disrespect, and are expected to adhere to a rigid schedule and a strict set of rules. No accommodations for staff with special needs or circumstances, such as a health condition or young children, are offered. However if you are in the inner circle, you can enjoy all the flexibility and accommodations you could ask for.

Pay is quite low, and as a result, the company cannot attract experienced and qualified people. So they end up hiring people with little to no experience in their field. This can be a plus if you have no experience or are fresh out of school and want to get your foot in the door - it is very easy to get a job there. However, since they offer no formal training, mentorship or professional development, inexperienced staff don't get to develop their skills. Despite their best efforts they remain under-qualified, yet are given responsibilities way above their abilities or skill set, which leads to chaos throughout the entire company. It also means that if you are looking to advance in your career, you will need to move on to other companies. Pay raises are very minimal and/or nonexistent, and on many occasions during the time I worked there, bonuses were promised but not delivered.

AOR has no HR department, and seems to have no understanding of accepted norms and practices when it comes to employee relations. The company lacks basic organizational pieces such as an org chart, salary grid or any type of orientation program for new hires. As a result new employees often find navigating the company a bewildering experience, and there is no transparency regarding what you can expect in terms of compensation, pay raises or advancement. Expectations and protocols constantly shift, often without notice, or are not clearly communicated, and performance reviews are not regularly conducted. Management has a habit of impulsively firing people, even dedicated long-term staff, without giving a reason or any opportunity to improve. This leads to an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

Possibly the most frustrating thing about working there for me was that management seems to know they have a morale problem and are constantly asking for suggestions, but then once suggestions are made, they react by cracking down even harder, becoming even more strict in the very areas employees indicate as needing more flexibility. Often those who dare to speak up are targeted by management, treated badly and sometimes even fired.

Another huge frustration is the owner’s habit of impulsively starting and stopping new initiatives. Huge ambitious projects will be started (such as a whole new line of products that he saw “in a dream”…not even kidding) and then abandoned on a whim for the next new, big shiny project. This makes it really hard to have any sense of job satisfaction, since you often don’t get to see a project through to completion before it is abruptly abandoned for the next one. It's also frustrating to watch the massive waste of money that occurs from these impulsive decisions and then be told the company can't afford to give pay raises....while the family continues to live lavish, rich lifestyles.

Despite all of this, AOR somehow manages to attract very hardworking and dedicated staff (likely due to the idealistic nature of their company mission), and that is probably the most positive thing about working there - your coworkers will be awesome. People tend to band together and support each other, perhaps because they have the sense that they’re all dealing with the same issues with management. 

My advice? Take a job there only if you can’t find one elsewhere. Get the experience you need, but don’t stop looking at job postings, and plan to move on as soon as you can. Don’t get involved in company politics, as it is incredibly stressful and will probably get you in hot water, no matter how good your intentions are.

During my short time at AOR I was able to acquire a skill set far surpassing my expectations. I was able to observe how to handle difficult customer interactions with grace and problem solve so situations would resolve to everyones benefit. A difficult task to learn, however with the support of upper management as well as my direct coworkers we were able to provide real solutions. I observed the owners of the company as well as the general manager visit the CS desk, production, shipping and work amongst the other employees. Another lesson that no work is too small and everyone contributes. 

While working as a customer service representative, which can be a gruelling task, I found I was constantly supported by my coworkers. Having irate customers take any frustrations out on you can be very frustrating, particularly if its unwarranted. However, my coworkers were incredibly supportive. Further, the mangers were not only supportive to staff but very competent in handling difficult situations. I will never forget the generous spirit of my coworkers from all different departments in sharing their knowledge. It is a rare environment where you feel that everyone is willing and eager to show you what they do. It taught me that every job can be done with excellence and workers can take pride in even the most menial of tasks. While this may sound as though I should remove my rose coloured glasses I feel as though its about time there was positive representation on a forum. Based on some of the earlier reviews it seems that some forums seem to attract angry users who base their opinions on one or two negative experiences, hurt feelings, or lack of self awareness. Often they have forgotten the bigger picture and the moments when they actually enjoyed what they did. They forget the days where their coworker suggested instead of giving out wasteful christmas presents instead engaging in charity work, and having upper management actually listen. They forget how they got to learn new skills by taking on jobs that they may not have been hired for (but were still given a choice in taking on.) 

Its not perfect- there are gaps in communication but there was always someone willing to listen. And with some proactive effort changes were incorporated. A good idea did not fall on deaf ears. That being said if no ideas were presented due to apathy then decisions were made for you. Keeping an open mind and positive attitude will ALWAYS be a virtue.

Ok, so others may not be content, and I do understand; but when employees only view the company as a money handing machine, they lose sight of what they gained from it. I may echo most of your management concerns, but let the big guys deal with that; eventually, it is their headache. I found the place to be an excellent step forward into life, honestly. Within perceived ADD decisions and chaos, you have a good chance of contributing and being part of the organization's decision making. AOR, if you look at it positively, lets you grow and learn. As an employee, or potential employee, do your best although you will see many others are incompetent and actually do nothing, but don't worry about them. You will gain either way: experience and skills you can apply elsewhere. The company is run as a family business, yes, and although frustrating, take advantage of it: you have an opportunity to be at the forefront of its workings, so go ahead and learn; both you and the company will benefit.
In summary, the company is as good as YOU make it. Be honest and do your best, it always pays off, present and future!

My experience in AOR has been as a workspace in a period of growth and change. It has been exciting to be a part of this. Since last year, the company has been rebranding and changing much of it's business practices, aesthetics, strategy, and culture. All in positive ways I feel. 

AOR's marketing team where I worked is probably the best example of this. The department when I arrived was being built up, and was brand new. In the months that have followed, all the way to now, I have seen it grow and innovate and become a hub in the company for generating revenue and excitement. The team is a great experience to be a part of, led by two very skilled and collaborative managers, and supported by management and the owners in a way that is so heartening. 

As with any company going through a period of growth and change, there is some uncertainty, but I have never felt lost or worried in my work, rather always eager and hopeful. Management has fostered a team that really works together well. Negative, gossip-y presences on the team were dismissed, and without that kind of dead weight, we have been even more optimistic.

It was very cumbersome to get marketing projects done. A great lack of professionalism was displayed at every step. Upper management failed to understand the big picture , an acute micro-management tendancy  from a  deciding executive who does not have much experience. This resulted in demotivation and lack of trust in upper management . 
In the end, the whole marketing department was dismissed by email. A shocking experience I do not want anyone to experience.
AOR offers great products but it seems like this is the only positive about the company. This family business is poorly run,  wages are the lowest on the market and there is no pay structure . They increase salaries depending on how quiet you keep in spite of being pulled in every direction.
Negative culture- lack of communication, a lot of backbitting and lies.
They stretch employees not  to hire more employees.
We have seen great employees who left or were fired because they were resistant to this kind of management .

AOR is a great company to work for for many different reasons.         -There is so many different avenues to grow within the company, and top management is always there to listen. 
- The CEO, CFO, and GM have worked hard to create a company that encompasses family values, and has an open door to employees. 
- They see the potential in each employee and how the employee can grow, and have amazing mentors in place to achieve growth
- AOR has been able to capture the corporate world well maintaining the warm welcoming environment of a family owned business. 
- Each department within the company collaborates with other departments to share ideas, train each other, and work together to better processes  
- When there is a problem upper management listens, takes corrective action right away, and ensure that the employee is comfortable and happy coming to work. 
- Amazing HR department 
- Even though the job can be stressful at times having a dedicated and hard working team supporting each other helps keep the stress at a minimum

My work responsibilities:
▪ In-house inspections, OOS investigations and audits
▪ Document control 
▪ Project management
▪Ensure compliance with standard operating procedures, GMP requirements (NHPD, FDA)
▪Oversee implementation of safety procedures (employee safety training)
▪ Assist production engineer in implementation of Six Sigma approach
▪Develop comprehensive testing program
▪Address customer complaints
▪Assume partial human resource responsibilities
▪Instruct and supervise production operators

Presented Lecture on Nutraceuticals to MBT class of 2013 at the University of Calgary

My co-workers are really nice and helpful. It is very easy to work with them on daily bases.

The most enjoyable part of my job is creating document control system, which I really like doing. I also like preparing SOPs and create flow charts for processes and documentation flow. Additionally, I really like that I learned project management.

The offices are cozy and spacious, and the newer building especially is a nice place to work in. The environment is calm, but the work is engaging and fast-paced, especially in marketing. 

The company really cares about the mission and the science and works hard and diligently on that. The production team and management have high quality facilities that are kept immaculate and high functioning. 

Many long-time employees at the company, and hard work and dedication are well rewarded and acknowledged. Diverse workplace (way more so than most in Calgary), and management is always empowered and friendly and never shows biases. 

A lot of charitable activities and fundraisers are conducted by the owners, which is really nice to see.

I have been with this company for just over a year and I hear lots of odd stories. Regardless of that, I can echo management issues, but I think their trying to put effort in making it a stronger place. I love the fact that many people there help you out and you learn lots of new things. The good thing about a somewhat poorly managed company is that you CAN learn alot and you CAN do different things. Pay isnt the best, but it is a good start and you have lots of leeway if you get sick or don't show up.
Management: so so
Co-workers: great
Hardest part of job: nothing
Most enjotable part of job: nice place and not very much responsibility

Always adding/changing your role with a minimal pay increase if any. Management is snakey and speaks poorly about you to others or in front of you. If you do let your supervisor know why you might actually have a life outside of work for a day you can bet it will not be discreet but instead communicated in emails to everyone else and left on her desk for days for everyone to see. 

They will assign you to tasks last minute that you have no education in with very minimal training and then demote or lay off saying that they are “restructuring the role” and your education/experience doesn’t fit. 

This is NOT a transparent company. Get in if you need to and get out.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Production operator 3 salaries reported	$16.50 per hour
Bilingual customer service associate 1 salary reported	$20.00 per hour
Customer service representative 1 salary reported	$20.50 per hour
Brand ambassador 2 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour
Web administrator 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour

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