Throughout 2020, Covid-19 forced significant changes to the global workforce as remote working became an overnight necessity. Fortunately, many of these changes had already begun organically within the pharma industry before Covid. Instead of being the instigator of these changes, Covid-19 acted as a catalyst for their increased rollout.
With one eye on the end of the pandemic, 74% of companies intend to make remote working a permanent state. Pharma companies will be evaluating this increase in demand to continue to adapt and make a career in pharma as attractive as possible. The consequences of these changes – increased diversity, more flexible talent acquisition and improved remote clinical trials – are likely to shape the future of pharma as we know it.
Remote clinical trials can help pharma keep up with demand
Between 2015-2020, the number of clinical trials nearly doubled from 181,000 to 326,000. This rise in frequency was accompanied by a rise in complexity. According to one study, this increased complexity is linked to lower patient recruitment and retention rates, higher error rates, longer study durations and can potentially delay submissions to regulators.
On top of that, the bottom line of pharma companies is impacted. According to the European Medicines Agency, the cost of bringing a drug to market doubled from 2010-2018, with on-site monitoring a significant factor in these costs.
Whilst clinical research has traditionally been rooted in face-to-face engagements, carrying out specific aspects of trials remotely can have major benefits for the cost and efficiency- making them ideally suited for the digital overhaul.
Remote site access and digital monitoring platforms are now able to seamlessly connect the sponsor, CRO and the research site digitally. This remote site access can bring automatic document routing, standardised processes and efficient communication between site and sponsor. And in removing on site restrictions, companies can avoid problems with travel delays, saving time and cost.
These aren’t rapid changes that need to overhaul the whole system. Both research site teams and sponsors expect over 50% of tasks involved in clinical trials to be completed digitally within the coming years. The quicker pharma companies can adapt to this shifted reality, the quicker they can get ahead of the game.
Meeting the work style of digital natives
Like with many industries, digital natives make up increasing portion of the workforce in pharma. In 2021, almost 70% of HCP’s are digital natives. This section of the workforce are already up to speed with digital engagement as a primary form of communication, and pharma should look to harness this even more.
Before the pandemic, this generation of HCP’s were already altering how sales reps and physicians engaged with each other, and Covid-19 has set the ball firmly in their court. Companies that began to make this shift before Covid will have an advantage in setting up their sales division to thrive post Covid.
A remote, flexible, global workforce can increase diversity
One of the major changes throughout the pandemic has been the availability of a remote work force and the flexibility this provides. Pharma companies are no longer dependent or tied to a small section of the population based on geographic location or available working hours, which has major benefits for improving diversity within the workplace.
With in-person working, a nine to five structure was commonplace. Often, the restriction this provided on people who juggle other commitments, including women coming back from maternity leave, meant that the demands were an unrealistic expectation to keep up with. Women drop out of pharma careers at a higher rate than men at every level, and this restricted structure is part of the reason.
With remote working also comes flexibility. When done right, this flexibility should people who are juggling childcare commitments are able to fit in their work around their other responsibilities. This isn’t a quick fix that negates other support mechanisms for women in pharma, but this flexibility will make pharma a more accessible career opportunity.
Inequality often comes from flawed systems posing as business as usual. Remote working post-covid has given pharma companies an opportunity to review their working patterns to make sure they’re attractive to demographics who have previously been shut out.
As search consultants, we’ve seen a number of our clients not just adjust their work flexibility offer, but also adjust their recruitment patterns to incorporate a global work force. Applicants are becoming much less restricted by their geographical location, with huge implications for diversity.
This globalisation of work is by no means a flawless process, but employees appreciate the ability to work from anywhere- a third report a better work-life balance when doing so. If companies can continue this trend, this new mindset could encourage greater diversity in the industry, a better pool of perspectives, ideas and solutions to fulfil pharma’s contract with the public.
Some life sciences companies are already ahead of the game
At RBW Consulting, one of our clients has been walking-the-walk for over a decade. Within 3, a virtual engagement platform, have been remote working for over a decade now.
On remote working, Lance Hill, CEO at Within3 said: “It’s crucial to look after your staff, whether remote or office based. During the peak of COVID-19, our client success team were working incredibly hard to make sure all our customers had the tools they needed to succeed. We wanted to show our appreciation to this team so we provided childcare reimbursement, extra time off, and surprise bonuses. These are relatively simple measures to take but show our team that we care.”
This change doesn’t come without problems, and replicating the upskilling and training needed for an engaged workforce was a problem Within3 had to overcome, and many companies will be facing now.
Hill said: “As home working becomes a more popular option around the world, companies may have to adjust to make sure they don’t miss out on any of the ‘spontaneous interactions’ that can happen at an office. This can be addressed by making sure everyone has an equal voice and feels they can query or challenge everything. Meaning people can proactively reach out to someone to ask why we’re doing something or offer some feedback. Not only does this make people more involved in what we’re pushing to achieve as a company, it also encourages more open discussions and innovation.”
Remote working has opened up many possibilities across the pharma industry. As search consultants, we’re already beginning to see our clients put plans in place for these measures to continue. The benefits of diversity, an increased talent pool and remote clinical trials are too good to miss out on. Even when the pandemic is long gone, remote working in pharma is here to stay.
Article by Richard Warren, founder and CEO of RBW Consulting