What is Important to Pharma Jobseekers in 2022?

2020 and 2021 saw a huge shift in the way we work, and this has undoubtedly changed the things that are most important to jobseekers when looking for their next pharma job. Although things like competitive salaries and good holiday allowances will always be important to jobseekers, other things such as a good work-life balance and job security are becoming increasingly important in 2022.

In this article, we look at the things that Life Science job seekers look for the most in new employers, drawing on examples from within the pharma industry of how successful companies are meeting these needs…

Salary and Financial Assistance

This is one of the most important things to job seekers. Even if you’re a smaller pharma company that can’t offer the best salaries in the industry, think about the ways you can help employees look after their financial health, and how else you can reward them for their work.

As a financial reward for long service, Boehringer Ingelheim offers employees payments for reaching work anniversaries. They also offer discounts for external products and access to supportive services to help employees look after their financial health, including safeguards against financial risks and access to employer loans. Advertising these services to jobseekers will show that if they choose a job with you, you’re committed to supporting them both inside and outside of the workplace.

Unique Company Culture

Jobseekers look for companies whose values align with their own. Your company culture can include things such as your vision and purpose, how you reward your employees, how you celebrate milestones and achievements, and how you work on a daily basis. Knowing what your company culture is and how it sets you apart from others in the life sciences industry will help you to build up your employer brand, which is key in attracting the strongest candidates.

On their website, Johnson & Johnson break down their company culture into four segments: values, career development, health and wellness, and diversity and inclusion. In each segment, they explain how each part of their culture sets them apart in the industry, with testimonials from employees and even timelines that show real career advancement within the company. Being specific about your culture in this way will show employees that you take an active role in promoting your values, and will show them what working for you actually looks like.

Good Work-life Balance

As the lines between work and home became more blurred in 2020 and 2021 than ever before, job seekers are increasingly looking for companies that promote a healthy work-life balance for their employees. This could cover anything from offering flexible and remote working options to helping employees with childcare. Jobseekers want to feel trusted by employers to complete their work without having to compromise aspects of their personal life, and especially since workers have proved they can manage their work from home, many job seekers now expect this type of freedom.

Roche are very open about how they promote a healthy work-life balance for their employees. Some of the arrangements they offer include part-time and flexi-time work as well as job sharing, remote working, and sabbaticals. They also offer employees access to childcare facilities such as childcare centres as well as other provisions to help employees balance their career and personal lives. This approach to promoting a good work-life balance again shows jobseekers that they will be supported both inside and outside of the workplace, and that their career will become part of their daily lives rather than a hindrance to it.

Commitment to Making a Difference

Jobseekers also look for companies that show a commitment to things such as sustainable development, as this is something that we are all being encouraged to improve. Show your jobseekers that you value this and outline how you actively work on making a difference both within and outside of your organisation.

Being specific about how you’ll make a difference is key. On their website, Lilly lay out the sustainability goals that they hope to achieve by 2030. These include things such as sending zero waste to landfill and making sure that 100% of their purchased electricity is from renewable sources. Setting such specific goals and making this part of your company culture can help to set you apart from other pharma companies and will encourage jobseekers to shout about the work you’re doing. It will also show that you’re a company that’s willing to lead change, rather than one that’s going to be left behind because of it.

Investing in Professional Development

Jobseekers want a company that will invest the resources into their career advancement. Not only is this because of wanting a higher salary, more responsibility, and better opportunities, but it’s also because of the need for job security which is now more important than ever. Making it clear to jobseekers that you care about their development will show them that they can make a whole career with you, rather than viewing your job as a steppingstone to another company with better prospects.

AstraZeneca promotes what they call ‘Lifelong Learning’ which aims to help employees “continuously learn, grow and evolve throughout your career with us.” They also outline their unique framework for learning based on the ‘3Es’ of Experience, Exposure and Education which supports the learning and development of employees at all levels of seniority. No matter what level your jobseekers are, show them that you’re committed to helping them achieve their individual goals and that you want to see them thrive.

Diversity and Inclusion

Jobseekers look for companies whose leadership and workforce represent the diversity of their clients, customers, and surrounding communities. Whilst companies are prohibited from discriminating against employees by law, job seekers want to see you actively promote diversity in the workplace and want to see this reflected in your values.

Pfizer shows that diversity and inclusion is something they are actively working on rather than just shouting about by outlining their specific goals to achieve a more diverse workforce, especially in their leadership. They aim to achieve a 47% representation of women globally in VP roles and above, and 32% representation of minorities in these roles in the US by 2025, proving to jobseekers that this is something they are actively championing rather than ignoring.

Stand Out for the Right Reasons…

Attracting top talent isn’t only about offering the most benefits or the highest salary, but it’s also about being aware of what job seekers currently need, and how you can create a working environment that supports this.

Take the time to work on your unique company culture, and make this shine in your job adverts and careers pages to help your brand stand out against your competitors in the industry, and to help you attract the candidates most compatible with your values and vision.

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