Why is Hiring in Pharma so Competitive?

The UK pharmaceutical industry plays a critical role in global drug development, yet many businesses struggle to attract and retain the staff they need to stay competitive in a cutthroat market. The industry is facing a perfect storm of skills gaps, regulatory uncertainty and shifting workforce expectations. Here we will explore the key challenges facing the industry and share how pharma companies can address them head-on.

Skills shortages & mismatches 

One of the major challenges facing UK pharma is the steadily increasing skills gap. With the industry shifting towards digital innovation, the demand for experts in data science, AI and biotechnology has skyrocketed. Therein lies the problem, there are 35% fewer workers in these critical roles, creating a significant talent deficit.

Compounding the issue, four out of five pharmaceutical manufacturers are reporting skills mismatching, meaning that even when hiring takes place, newly onboarded employees often require extensive training and development. 

Competition for such highly skilled roles extends beyond the pharmaceutical sector. Many of the same candidates for pharma positions are also being targeted by tech firms, financial services and other such high-growth industries.

Impact of brexit

Pre-Brexit, the UK benefited from a steady and consistent stream of highly skilled pharmaceutical professionals from Europe. However, since leaving the EU, Britain has tightened restrictions on immigration polices that make it harder to attract and retain skilled international talent. 

Heightened challenges in filling specialist roles, particularly those in regulatory affairs, pharmaceutical engineering and clinical research trials.

Bureaucracy & visa restrictions that deter highly skilled professionals from seeking opportunities in the UK.

Loss of international collaboration; with limited access to EU-based research, limiting access to a wider talent pool and international partnerships.

Economic/regulatory challenges

Shifting regulatory requirements and economic downturns have played a key role in pharma’s hiring challenges with many companies scaling back permanent hiring in favour of contract work to mitigate financial risk.

Post-pandemic regulations have hampered clinical trials and drug approval processes. An increased burden of compliance has added to the existing pressure on teams, discouraging companies from expanding their workforce until these issues have been addressed.

Changing industry dynamics

Rapid digitisation is fast evolving the pharmaceutical industry, with the emergence of personalised medicine and biotechnology advancements; driving demand for specialisms in bioinformatics analysis, computational biology and artificial intelligence. Concurrently, the industry is struggling with a ‘patent cliff’, the expiration of major drug patents, which has led to financial instability for many companies. This in turn is leading to cost cutting measures and restructuring of the business over expanding a talent base.

Post-COVID effects

The “Great Resignation” saw employees from all industries re-evaluating their career choices post-covid; with higher than usual attrition rates across the pharmaceutical sector. Many professionals chose to leave for better pay, improvements in working conditions and new opportunities in adjacent fields like health tech or biotech startups. While resignation rates have since stabilised, many pharmaceutical companies still struggle to fill vacancies left during the pandemic, contributing to a lingering gap in talent.

Diversity/inclusivity gaps

Pharma companies in the UK have typically lacked diversity across leadership roles, particularly for women and minorities; creating a hiring bottleneck as potential candidates may be deterred from joining a company with little to no representation at senior levels.

Widening the talent pool and appealing to a broader range of applicants will showcase a company's commitment to long term diversity and inclusion, with initiatives such as targeted leadership programs, mentorships, reduced bias in hiring and flexibility to accommodate a more diverse workforce.

Decline in internal hiring

Typically, pharmaceutical companies rely on internal mobility and upskilling to fill key positions, yet recent trends show that internal hiring has decreased significantly, forcing businesses to look externally in a time when the labour market is already stretched perilously thin. To counteract this, businesses should consider:

• Investing in training programs to reskill existing workforce to better prepare for emerging roles.

• Strengthen relationships with universities to foster partnerships that drive a pipeline of future talent across key disciplines.

• Competitive progress opportunities to help retain and develop expertise in-house.

Solutions for pharma hiring challenges

Overcoming hiring challenges will require pharmaceutical companies to implement robust and proactive strategies to attract, develop, nurture and retain top talent. Strengthening education pipelines by partnering with leading universities can ensure that grads are equipped with industry leading skills. Addressing skills shortages from within can be achieved through continuous learning and development programs, supporting existing employee transition into high-demand roles.

Equally important is building and maintaining a strong employer brand that highlights career development, culture and diversity. A compelling employer narrative can differentiate companies in a competitive market but also foster long-term engagement and retention. By integrating these strategies, pharmaceutical companies can mitigate workforce shortages and secure key talent needed for sustained innovation and growth. 

By focusing on upskilling and digital transformation, the sector can create a significantly more sustainable workforce, ensuring that the UK remains a global leader in pharmaceutical innovation.

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