This article is the third in our Spotlight on: Talent in the life sciences sector series.
Following our article on Talent trends and solutions for the life sciences sector, published as part of our Biotech Review of the Year - Issue 12 publication earlier this year, we have produced a five part article series which explores the reasons for the continued shortage of talent within the life sciences sector and strategies for addressing this challenge.
Pharmaceutical companies will each face their own unique challenges in relation to talent management. Employers can tailor their approach by adopting various strategies best suited to targeting the gaps they have identified and are experiencing.
With so many nuanced challenges, both those unique to the sector or those faced by other businesses and industries, it is clear that there is no quick fix to the global talent shortage. But what steps can be taken to improve the labour landscape? This third article in the series focusses on action taken by the government, the sector and employers to ensure a robust talent pipeline is in place to support the industry both now and into the future.
Action by employers
Pharmaceutical companies will each face their own unique challenges in relation to talent management. Employers can tailor their approach by adopting various strategies best suited to targeting the gaps they have identified and are experiencing. From recruitment, development of an existing workforce and tackling retention, there are no shortage of tactics and tools for companies to consider. Some may prioritise investment in the existing workforce by offering training and upskilling opportunities to existing employees. Fostering relationships and collaboration with universities and research institutions can also facilitate the recruitment of fresh talent. Young professionals can be encouraged to join the sector through internships, apprenticeships and graduate programmes. Further, promoting genuine diversity and inclusion initiatives can serve to improve company culture, help existing employees to feel valued and widen the talent pool. Offering competitive compensation packages and benefits can also aid the attraction and retention of top talent. Regularly reviewing talent gaps and forecasting priority skills based on business need is also crucial to creating a sustainable and robust talent pipeline into the future amidst the rapidly developing landscape.
1. Recruitment
Starting at the beginning of the talent pipeline, many employers are experiencing difficulties with recruitment. Can the talent pool be increased? How do you attract global talent? Is it possible to attract those with relevant skills from other sectors? Can the recruitment process be faster? How do you enhance a candidate’s recruitment experience?
Increase the talent pool
For the last decade, around 45% of undergraduate students have consistently chosen to study STEM subjects each year.1 Artificial intelligence, computer science and software engineering courses are also growing in popularity, with application rates rapidly increasing by 16%, 35% and 45% respectively between just 2021 to 2023. This made computing-related courses the 7th most popular, falling shortly behind subjects allied to medicine, biological and sports sciences and engineering and technology which take the top three spots.2
Harnessing this talent will help to address the STEM skills shortage. With fierce competition to recruit these graduates, life science companies should engage with universities through outreach projects and graduate schemes to begin building relationships with students at the crucial stage when they are starting to make decisions about their future careers. Many international students are also choosing to come to the UK to study STEM subjects at prestigious universities. Companies would be wise to take advantage of the growing numbers of international students and seek to understand how they could be encouraged to remain in the UK through attractive employment opportunities.
Creative employment models can also expand the talent pool. Within the UK, an individual may be classified as an employee, worker or self-employed contractor depending on the nature of the relationship between them and the company they are working for. Offering freelance or project-based contracts may appeal to skilled professionals (both within the UK and internationally) who are seeking consultancy work or shorter-term engagements and can bring specialised and sought-after skills which a company might need only for a finite amount of time. Employers may consider exploring other more flexible employment arrangements such as part-time roles, job sharing, internships or apprenticeships.
The Department for Education and Office for Life Sciences are together championing the utilisation of apprenticeships, offering detailed guidance for life science employers to explore how to implement a flexible apprenticeship programme.3 Connecting with young people as early as possible can inspire and support them at all stages of their education, from selecting their GCSEs and A-levels, to deciding whether higher education is right for them of if there are other routes to enjoying a successful career within the life sciences sector. The ABPI education landscape guide for employers sets out how partnering with the education sector can help to provide young people with unique training and development opportunities, raise awareness of the future career paths open to them and support teachers with their own professional development.4
Culture is a key consideration for young professionals. Investing in the recruitment of a diverse workforce, including women and those from ethnic and other minority backgrounds, has been shown to have a positive impact on company culture and business success, whilst also widening the talent pool. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’s research in 2020 found that only 27% of the STEM workforce are women, compared to 65% who are white men. Only 2% of the workforce identify as black and disabled people represent just 11%. Highlighting a continued lack of diversity within the sector.5 In April 2025, the APPG published a briefing on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategies in STEM, as part of a new project that has been launched with the intention of exploring approaches to progressing EDI and improving representation in STEM. In this briefing, it was recognised that smaller companies such as start-ups and spin-outs have different needs and challenges to larger STEM companies so solutions and strategies will need to be tailored accordingly.6
In a 2023 survey, 36% of UK workers said they would not work for a business whose values did not align with theirs. This increased to 53% for those aged 18-24.7 78% of global talent leaders also recognise that equality and inclusion initiatives have had a positive impact on their business.8 However, in 2022 only 63% of surveyed life science employers believe embedded EDI practices to be important to candidates. This is 16% lower than the global average.9 With companies investing in EDI as a way to enhance talent experience during the recruitment process, this gap is hopefully starting to close. 40% of respondents to a 2024 New Scientist survey cited their companies were making visible efforts to increase diversity.10
Employers may choose to prioritise luring skilled professionals from other sectors, particularly the tech sector. As salaries are rising, work within the life sciences sector is rewarding with a focus on improving health and quality of life. Innovative areas of MedTech and personalised medicine will also appeal to those with scientific minds. Although all sectors are scouring the same pool for tech talent, life science organisations can leverage their unique offerings and place an emphasis on their vision for digital transformation when marketing themselves to prospective candidates. People, patients and healthcare professionals are already at the heart of the pharmaceutical industry. Embracing a candidate-centric approach to recruitment, agile ways of working and mapping clear career development opportunities will place people back at the centre of the recruitment process in turn catching the eye of a wider audience. For example, 70% of tech talent are reportedly not interested in, or uncertain about, pursuing management responsibilities.11 Therefore, traditional ‘career-ladder’ models may be unattractive and inappropriate. Instead, a more flexible performance framework could give junior tech professionals the opportunity to explore and expand their interests by applying their digital and data science skills to life science use cases.
In a similar vein, enticing STEM leavers back to the industry is another avenue to explore. The industry may have significantly changed since they stepped away and investing in initiatives such as a returners programme could incentivise skilled individuals to re-consider a career at the forefront of such innovation and development. With approximately 58,100 STEM returners wanting to get back to work, they are a crucial pool to target.12
Finally, it is clear that the talent gap cannot be closed by utilising UK home grown talent alone. Embracing global mobility by recruiting top talent from overseas will be crucial to establishing a sustainable talent pipeline. Companies will have to consider how they market themselves overseas. It is one thing to attract talent who are already seeking job opportunities in the UK. However, other strategies would have to be implemented in order to appeal to those who had not previously considered migrating as an option. Tactics such as postings on international job boards, utilising LinkedIn’s job search feature and transparent job adverts detailing immigration support a company’s international recruitment strategy.
Upgrade recruitment practices
Since the pandemic, an increasing number of employers are utilising online applications, video interviews and virtual skills-based tasks. Whilst not appropriate for all roles, companies or candidates, online recruitment practices have a number of advantages. They grant a wider reach (enabling companies to interview candidates from any geographical location), reduce costs and allow for faster and more flexible interview scheduling, amongst other benefits.
Artificial intelligence and automation tools are here to stay and early adopters are gaining efficiencies and advantages by embracing these new technologies for a variety of uses. AI can significantly enhance recruitment processes, with 2023 research showing that 84% of pharmaceutical and life science companies surveyed are investing in analytics technology to enhance talent attraction and engagement.13 If used correctly and fairly, algorithms can speed up the screening of candidate applications and CVs and identify or tag the most suitable individuals based on a predetermined set of criteria. This saves time but also makes the selection process more objective. AI tools can also be used for ‘candidate matching’, analysing both the job description and prospective application to find the best match based on factors such as skills and experience. Automation can also improve a candidate’s recruitment experience. For example, utilising automated communications to schedule interviews, provide status updates as to the progress of a candidate’s application, answer frequently asked questions or aid in onboarding and personalised training once a candidate has been hired. Predictive analysis via AI tools could also aid in the prediction of a candidate’s performance based off historical data, or in the forecasting of skills and roles which will be important to the business in both the short and long-term. Integrating AI into recruitment practices, therefore, could save employers time and resources whilst also improving the quality of candidates progressing to interview stage.
Finally, companies should consider giving their hiring practices an MOT. With a clear pinch point between a lack of skills and hard to fill jobs which require highly qualified individuals, employers will have to work harder to market themselves to suitable candidates. In a Harvard study, 88% of employers agreed that highly skilled candidates are being vetted out of the recruitment process for not matching the exact criteria within the job description.14 As a result, the right candidates may not even be reaching the interview stage. Changing hiring practices to focus on skills rather than traditional qualifications can help to find the right talent for the job. Employers should also consider the value in transferable skills that candidates could bring from other fields.
Competitive compensation
Competition for the in-demand talent pool is high across a number of sectors, both in the UK and internationally. Innovative technology companies entice candidates by offering generous compensation packages. Ranging from the traditional perks of a competitive salary and health and wellness support, employees are also attracted by flexible working arrangements, stock options and bonuses, unique professional development opportunities, relocation assistance and innovative working environments where free meals, snacks and break out games areas are common place. In comparison, the life sciences sector continues to have a more traditional offering. With candidates in demand, coupled with rising inflation, salaries are increasing in the life sciences sector, with the average salary rising by 11.1% during 2023, to £57,724.10
The pandemic has caused a shift in dynamics, creating a candidate driven market. Top candidates may receive multiple job offers, making competitive compensation a key factor in their decision making. The cost of living crisis has also placed increased emphasis on the importance of financial security and stability. Remote working is now common place and, aside from the obvious benefit of working from the comfort of your own home, it also allows candidates to apply for roles in higher-paying regions, such as London, even if they do not live in a regularly commutable distance. Time spent at home during lockdown has caused people to reflect on their day-to-day priorities and candidates are now looking for roles which give them it all – a work-life balance, career aspiration, financial reward and additional benefits which support their lifestyle. Further, competitive pay signals to prospective candidates that a company is willing to invest in talent and values its employees. Employers must also consider how attractive their remuneration practices are on an international scale, as they increasingly look to tap into the global labour market.
It's not quite as simple as paying people more. Employees have come to expect comprehensive benefits alongside their annual salary, such as private health insurance, family friendly leave policies or enhanced sick pay. Employers are standing out from competitors by providing distinctive benefits such as enhanced paid leave opportunities, participation in share option schemes, unlimited holiday allowances or other unique offerings such as fertility support which, more often than not, is unavailable through most health insurance providers. It is also increasingly common for candidates to enquire as to a company’s stance on EDI, the environment or ESG initiatives, workplace culture and opportunities for training and personal development as part of the recruitment process.
2. Develop and engage
It can take 4.9 weeks on average to fill a job vacancy in the UK. This increases to an average of 5.8 weeks for roles related to science and research.15 With external talent in high demand and no time to lose, many companies may choose to look internally at what can be done to motivate, inspire and upskill their existing workforce. According to the World Economic Forum, an estimated 1 billion people will need to be reskilled worldwide by 2030.16 The cell and gene therapy skills demand report 2023 shows 40% of roles in this area are expected to be filled by workers already in the industry over the next 5 years.17
Investing in training and development programmes is an obvious answer to addressing the talent shortage. Offering training sessions, workshops and courses can encourage employees to obtain new job-related skills and knowledge. Some employers may choose to make participation in certain curricula compulsory for those in certain roles or for those at certain levels of seniority within the business. Breaking training into a step by step plan with personalised goals could facilitate employee autonomy and engagement. Coupling this with a development review system whereby an employee checks in regularly with their line management can help to open the dialogue within the business, enabling those in leadership roles to identify talent gaps and procure tailored solutions in order to close them. Further, mentorship and coaching can be an informal way to guide staff and foster peer-to-peer learning. Choosing a mentor outside of an employee’s area of expertise can also facilitate upskilling by sharing knowledge with those who have a different perspective.
For roles which are inherently difficult to fill, employers may decide to offer funded learning opportunities in the form of additional or new qualifications. This may be appropriate for an individual to partake in alongside an internship, apprenticeship or graduate programme, or for employees who express an interest in re-training in another relevant area. With many part time courses on offer across the UK, an employee could continue to contribute to the business, both during and after their period of study.
Other employers may choose to tackle the skills shortage by improving internal mobility, both within UK sites but also internationally across international group companies and hubs. Improving transparency of job vacancies through internal job postings, encouraging international employee groups and knowledge sharing networks, facilitating cross-country events and collaboration and providing financial support and expertise for an overseas employee to take advantage of UK routes to entry are all viable options for a company to explore. Intra-group international secondments also provide an excellent opportunity for shared learnings. A highly skilled employee could bring fresh insight and expertise to a specific project as may be necessary, before returning to their home country bolstered with additional valuable experience. Cross-functional working, in any guise, can encourage employees to learn about and from different aspects of the business, which can increase efficiencies and soft skills such as communication, teamwork and project management.
Finally, outsourcing can both free up talent to be directed elsewhere within the business, or fill missing skill sets in a timely manner. Automating administrative processes can also release resources and save time, enabling employees to focus their time on other more complex tasks.
3. Retention
Some companies might be faced with a burnt out workforce. The pandemic was a busy period for the pharmaceutical industry, with those working during this time likely still recovering from the aftereffects. With human resources at a premium within the sector, many employees will be working harder than they signed up for, whilst their employers strive to recruit new talent as quickly as they can. For some, the technological developments within the industry and evolving fields of medicinal focus may not be of interest to them, causing them to seek a new and different career elsewhere. As a result, skilled professionals are leaving the industry at a time when they are needed most. Companies will be searching for ways to reduce turnover and retain their valued employees, whilst also navigating the challenge of backfilling 55,000 workers to replace retirees across the sector.18
In addition to attracting new talent, focussing on updating HR policies and employee benefits and incentives has the added advantage of making existing employees feel valued in the workplace. Bonuses, recognition programmes and salary increases may maintain employee loyalty. Simple cultural initiatives such as company-wide social events or mentoring schemes may also bring added value to employees’ day-to-day work lives.
Creating a culture that values employee input, encourages participation in decision making and promotes collaboration and development can enhance employee engagement. Recognising and rewarding employees’ achievements can empower them to want to give back to the organisation. Investing in technology and tools that enhances employee productivity and their skill set, results in natural efficiencies whilst also improving employee satisfaction.
Employers may also wish to review employees’ contractual benefits. Perhaps considering the right to life assurance or additional annual leave based on years of service to encourage them to stay. For new starters, companies may decide to introduce a probationary period and, or in the alternative, review the appropriate notice period length for various roles, in an attempt to maintain a greater level of control over employee retention into the future.
For those companies losing employees more often than they would like, employee engagement surveys, 360 reviews or focus groups may help them to simply understand what employees want from their workplace as a crucial starting point.
Finally, engaging and developing the skills of the existing workforce as outlined above, can help employees to feel fulfilled in their roles, improving retention whilst also narrowing the skills gap.
The role of the government
In July 2021, the UK Conservative Government announced its Life Science Vision for the UK to be a science superpower by 2023,19 recognising that the life sciences sector will be a great driver of growth for the UK economy and aspiring for the UK to become a leading global hub for life sciences. This vision is continued by the current Labour Government, who recently launched its Life Sciences Sector Plan on 16 July 2025.20 The sector plan will be supported by government funding of over £2 billion, alongside funding from UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
In the lead up to the publication of the sector plan, on 2 June 2025, Skills England published its “Sector skills needs assessments” for Life Sciences.21 The report notes an increasing demand for interdisciplinary skills, particularly the combination of scientific skills with digital and technological ability considered to be vital for areas such as personalised medicine and digital health. Four days later, on 6 June 2025, the Business and Trade Committee published its Industrial Strategy Report22 which welcomes the Government’s proposals to introduce a new 10-year strategy to facilitate economic growth in the UK. With the life sciences sector selected as one of eight “growth-driving” sectors. Just two days later, on 8 June 2025, a Government press release23 announced a £86 billion funding commitment towards science and technology, to boost the UK’s status in R&D and innovation. With a portion of this funding allocated to the pharmaceutical industry, for example funding new drug treatments, with a hope that the investment will drive new jobs and economic growth.
The Government clearly recognises the importance of the life sciences sector to the UK economy and hopes this investment will create high value jobs nationwide. More commentary around the growing importance of skills and targeting the gap can only be a good thing. However, with many roles already proving hard to fill and a drought of key skills, without adequate human resourcing in place the vision may remain just that. The UK’s global position within the sector is currently limited by capacity constraints. Therefore, it is imperative that the Government assess the skills gaps across the sector and propose policies and initiatives to drive the development of a healthy skilled workforce. Simplifying access to financial support such as the apprenticeship levy, supporting schools and higher education establishments to develop careers guidance and technical and transferable skills and injecting further investment into talent boosting initiatives are some things that can be done to shift the dial on the recruitment and retention of top talent.
With an ever-growing need to mobilise global talent, immigration policies and routes to entry will becoming increasingly important. The Government should be cautious to rely on UK home grown talent alone to achieve global success and should consider how the UK markets itself to the international workforce. For example promotional videos, roadshows, providing easy to access information online or supporting and funding international interactions through opportunities such as conferences and industry events.
Success of the sector
The sector can support both the Government and pharmaceutical companies alike to address the talent shortage. Strengthening educational partnerships by collaborating with universities and educational institutions can start to solve the problem at an early stage. Developing appropriate school and higher education level curricula that aligns with changing industry needs can help to secure a steady pipeline of apprentices, interns and graduates. Organisational bodies, industry associations and scientific academies are also well placed to help facilitate apprenticeships and internships, by providing guidance, financial support or networking opportunities.
Applying pressure through lobbying is a crucial way to maintain Government accountability to achieve its life sciences vision. The voices of industry experts can help shape future Government investment and initiatives for the benefit of the life sciences sector. Industry bodies can also drive calls to action within the sector, encouraging and supporting employers with their initiatives to close the skills gap.
Conducting research and surveys will continue to be important, to understand the changing landscape, to review how things are improving and to identify and predict any future shortcomings. Publishing this data, be it through guidance, guidelines and reports, also serves to increase awareness of the talent gap, focussing minds and resources on finding a sustainable solution for the benefit of both society and the economy.
The good news is that a lot can, and is, being done to overcome the bespoke and nuanced challenges which may be facing each individual business in the life sciences sector. The fourth article in our series will cover immigration solutions to the skills shortage, and how employers can tap into the global talent pool.
For more information on how we can support you to support your employees, please contact Manon Rattle or another member of the Employment Team.
| Other articles in the series |
| 1. Introduction to the hiring dilemma |
| 2. The talent tug-of-war - Why life sciences faces a skills shortage |
| 3. Unlocking talent - Employment strategies for hiring |
| 4. Talent without borders - Immigration solutions to close the talent gap |
| 5. The science of hiring - Practical and legal considerations for employers |
References
1 ABPI Publications, How skill requirements are changing, published 8 June 2023, accessed 30 July 2025
2 UCAS, UK 18-year-olds make record number of applications for computing courses, published 13 July 2023, accessed 30 July 2025
3 Department of Education and Office for Life Sciences, Flexible Apprenticeships in the Life Sciences sector, published 26 May 2023, accessed 30 July 2025
4 ABPI, The education landscape: A guide for employers, published 18 September 2023, accessed 30 July 2025
5 British Science Association, APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, The State of the Sector: Diversity and representation in STEM industries in the UK, November 2020, accessed 30 July 2025
6 British Science Association, APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategies in STEM – briefing, published April 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
7 Randstad Workmonitor 2023, accessed 19 June 2025
8 2025 talent trends report by Randstad enterprise, accessed 30 July 2025
9 2022 talent trends report by Randstad enterprise
10 New Scientist Jobs, The New Scientist 2024 Global Talent Trends and Insights Report, published 20 June 2024, accessed 30 July 2025
11 Stack Overflow Developer Survey Results 2019, accessed 30 July 2025
12 Gov.uk Research and analysis, STEM ReCharge programme evaluation, Appendices, published 28 November 2024, accessed 30 July 2025
13 2023 talent trend sector report Randstand enterprise
14 Harvard Business School, Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent, published 4 October 2021, accessed 30 July 2025
15 StandOut CV, Average time to hire in the UK, updated 19 December 2024, accessed 30 July 2025
16 World Economic Forum, Reskilling Revolution: Preparing 1 billion people for tomorrow’s economy, updated 3 June 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
17 The Cell and Gene Therapy Skills Demand Report 2023, published November 2023, accessed 30 July 2025
18 ABPI Publications, Life Sciences 2035: Developing the Skills for Future Growth, published 12 March 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
19 UK Government, Policy Paper, Life Sciences Vision, published 6 July 2021, accessed 30 July 2025
20 UK Government, Policy Paper, Life Sciences Sector Plan, published 16 July 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
21 Department for Education, Skills England: Sector skills needs assessments Life Sciences, published June 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
22 House of Commons, Business and Trade Committee, Industrial Strategy Report 2024-25, published 6 June 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
23 UK Government, Press release, Transformative £86 billion boost to science and tech to turbocharge economy, with regions backed to take cutting-edge research into own hands, published 8 June 2025, accessed 30 July 2025
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