Life sciences jobs in research and development can be rather research-intensive. STEM professionals often need to commit to long-term research projects that require them to repeat processes multiple times.

Employers will need to provide learning opportunities either through continued education or new projects to continue developing the capabilities of life sciences professionals. These learning opportunities should also be communicated externally by publishing research papers, media engagement, as well as the company’s product and research web pages.

employees’ top unmet need is attractive salary and benefits

Despite the fact that attractive salaries and benefits were ranked as one of their top three most attractive EVP factors, it is the most unmet expectation among the life sciences professionals and engineers. These respondents ranked ‘attractive salary and benefits’ 7th in terms of what their employers prioritise.

Life sciences demand a competent, knowledgeable team with the relevant technical expertise in laboratory research, technical sales and regulatory affairs. There is also a much higher expectation for engineering talent to have technical and digital skills to perform their duties in advanced manufacturing sectors and research and development (R&D) facilities.

Companies that want top talent must pay their employees fairly and, in some cases, go above and beyond the market rate, given the increased demand for niche skills.

Furthermore, for the extent of a research project, a high salary is also a priority factor that enables highly skilled STEM personnel to commit for the long-term.

the percentage of job switchers grew from 10% to 15%

Despite long-term job security being an important EVP in both life sciences and engineering industries, companies have found it more difficult to retain employees. Job switching behaviour among professionals in the life sciences and engineering has increased from 10% in 2021 to 15% in 2022.

By extension, 24% of life sciences and engineering professionals plan to change jobs in the first half of 2022, a 6% increase from the previous year.

The increasing appetite to change jobs lies in employees being more aware of corporate reputations and salary prospects of different companies within the life sciences sector. In the life sciences and healthcare industry, it has always been important to put people at the centre of work to give their company a competitive advantage.

This is why it is critical for employers to develop an effective talent and engagement strategy so they can also improve employee retention as well.

Companies can reduce employee turnover and increase their ability to attract new talent by strengthening their talent experience, providing opportunities for career growth and better work-life balance.

83% of life sciences and engineering professionals want their employers to offer upskilling opportunities

Despite the high expectation for training, only 61% of life sciences and engineering respondents felt that their employers provide learning and development (L&D) opportunities to help them grow professionally.

Companies need to improve their L&D programmes to ensure that they are robust and relevant enough to meet talent learning expectations. Besides formal and mandatory training programmes, managers play a significant role in upskilling their employees with on-the-job learning opportunities.

Managers are more involved in their employee’s day-to-day and more aware of the challenges that they face at work. This would include providing the necessary support to guide employees towards finding solutions and making decisions independently. Through these real work situations, life sciences and engineering professionals would learn how to overcome similar challenges in the future and help others do the same.

Many working professionals seek new learning opportunities to prepare themselves for greater responsibilities at work and to realise their full potential. Companies that demonstrate their comprehensive L&D roadmaps as well as how employees have benefitted from these programmes are more likely to attract talent looking for similar learning opportunities to advance their careers.

82% of employees expect a blend of working remotely and on-site in the future

Work-life balance is a significant EVP factor in attracting and retaining talent in the life sciences and engineering sectors.

Evidently, 82% of life sciences and engineering working professionals expect to work both remotely and on-site in the future. When working remotely, employees can proactively plan for their work-life needs, which explains why the talent expectation for work flexibility has increased over the years.

Flexible work arrangements allow professionals to have more control over their time, especially when laboratory tests take a long time to complete. Instead of waiting in the lab for test results, R&D technicians may prefer to run personal errands or to catch up with other work from the comfort of their home.

Digitalisation makes people more productive at work and enables them to work remotely. Companies that are already investing in technology should digitise processes as much as possible so that their employees have the option to work remotely whenever possible.

download the 2022 randstad employer brand research: global life sciences and engineering report

Developing a strong engagement and talent strategy that attracts top talent in life sciences and engineering requires deep attention to employee and talent insights.

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