Love your Life Sciences Career
14 Feb 2023
Gillian McMurrough
What keeps life sciences professionals in their roles or attracts them to new organisations?
On average, we spend a third of our lives in work. The Life Sciences team build amazing relationships with candidates from all over the world and we have gained great insights into what keeps candidates in their jobs but also what motivates them to move. Below are some key insights and questions we would typically ask candidates when we are discussing the jobs market.
Why candidates stay
- The Company
Does the company have a good reputation? Is there low staff turnover. Is the work they do exciting? Does the company invest in innovative technologies and upskilling their staff?
- Culture
Is there a positive company culture and do the values of the organisation align with your own? Is there a culture of integrity and do employees work with pride?
- L&D
Are you continuously learning and is day-to-day work challenging? Candidates who believe they are learning and developing within their role and progressing within their company are happy and do not explore a career move.
- The people
What is your relationship like with your direct line manager and the wider leadership team? Are you invested in them as a leader and more importantly, do they invest in you? Is there a sense of respect and trust between you?
Do you enjoy collaborating with your team? Is there a sense of fun and positive team moral?
- Flexibility and Work Life Balance
What is your company’s policy on Flexibility as a benefit?
COVID-19 has changed the landscape for flexible working moving forward. During the pandemic, we saw Flexibility as the number one driver for candidates when considering a job move. Now flexibility as a benefit is assumed. Most firms offer some form of flexibility where they can – whether it be a global policy of 1-day work from home, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times. Organisations who failed to offer flexibility lost talent to other organisations who recognised this highly valuable benefit.
- Comp & Bens.
Are you fairly rewarded with regards to salary? With the rising energy costs and inflation reaching 8.2 percent in December of 2022, salaries at present are one of the main drivers for candidates considering a move. Does your firm offer a competitive benefits package? What benefits are important to you? Is anything missing?
Time for a change?
The life Sciences sector currently employs 50,000 people across the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical Device and Diagnostic space. With announcements of expansions across several commercial and manufacturing facilities in Ireland there is lots of scope for candidates who are considering a move. The Irish economy grew by 12.2% last year, according to a latest flash estimate from Central Statistics Office. Pharmaceutical products alone account for over 50 per cent of the Republic’s goods exports. According to a recent survey by LinkedIn it found that almost three in five (59%) Irish professionals are considering changing roles in 2023.
After reading this, if you are working in an environment that does not meet your expectations and you are not feeling the love, as a career consultant, we think it is time to consider a move.
The Life Sciences team in Brightwater recruit roles across all levels from Analyst level through to Head of Department and partner exclusively with leading clients. If you would like to learn more, please reach out to a member of the team for a confidential chat.
Gillian McMurrough is Associate Director of Brightwater's Life Sciences team