The Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy report states that the Life Sciences sector will create around 133,00 jobs over the next 10 year in the UK alone. The industry is growing, and so is the need for skilled workers. As digitalisation and new innovations continue to transform the health sector, the demand for professionals who can successfully navigate emerging macrotrends, such as TechMed, teleconsultations, remote health monitoring and new ATMPs, is increasing at an unprecedented rate. The talent supply is not keeping pace with the demand.

 

Learning and upskilling can play a key role in addressing this issue. But are employers and employees on the same page when it comes to learning? To gather insights, we segmented the results of the survey behind our global Learning Mindset report to include only the responses from Life Sciences and Pharma employers and employees in EMEA. What we uncovered is a startling disconnect between the two groups.

 

In this blog, we use the results to explore the importance of upskilling the current Life Sciences workforce, and how building learning strategies into personal and organisational plans can bridge the learning disconnect and address skills shortages.

 

 

 

According to the survey results, 80% of Life Sciences employees expressed a strong willingness to acquire new skills. However, only 43% of employers believed their employees were equally open to learning. This difference in perception indicates a gap in communication or lack of understanding between employers and employees regarding their attitudes towards acquiring and developing skills.

 

We found that Life Sciences employees and employers also disagree on whether the resources for enabling the learning process are actually available to professionals. When asked if workplaces provided learning resources, only 52% of employees said yes, while 78% of employers claimed they did offer learning resources. We are therefore faced with a clear disconnect in communication.

 

Lastly, we discovered that, when resources are available, employees are not satisfied with them. Just 53% of workers agree that the learning resources provided will suit their preferred method of learning, compared with 61% of employers. It's alarming that almost half of professionals don't feel the current resources meet their needs.

 

The data is conclusive. Employers and employees in the Life Sciences industry do not concur on learning, even though it’s crucial for overcoming the challenges of tomorrow. But how can you remedy this disconnect in your organisation and facilitate the upskilling and reskilling of your workforce? The data suggests most of your workers will be keen to upskill if the means are there for them to do so. Let’s look at how we can make that happen.

 

 

Fostering a learning culture in the Life Sciences industry

Reverse mentoring: effective training of diverse Life Sciences employees

 

Now that we’ve covered the current landscape in the Life Sciences industry and the actions major companies and institutions are taking to solve the talent gap, let’s explore how learning can, and should be, at the core of your strategy.

 

 

 

Going back to our survey results, 68% of employees in the Life Sciences definitely believe they need digital skills to succeed in their roles and 70% of employers agree. The stats prove workers know they need to update their skills. By building learning strategies into their EVP, employers demonstrate their commitment to fostering a culture of growth and development within the organisation. This sends a powerful message to both current and prospective employees that the company values their professional growth and is willing to invest in their learning journey.

 

 

 

74% of employees said that they themselves are most responsible for upskilling, which means they don’t see their employers actively engaging in their learning acquisition process. It is imperative that you communicate with your workers to build learning into their career paths and ensure the resources you’re providing suit their needs. Particularly in the Life Sciences sector, our research found employees prefer structured, in-person learning with testing. Perhaps this has to do with their academic background. It’s also important that both employees and employers recognise on-the-job training as learning. Only 7% of employees and 5% of employers see on-the-job training as effective. This is where mentorships can become a powerful tool to foster cross-generational collaboration and upskilling.

 

 

 

can help you streamline the upskilling and reskilling process by centralising learning materials to ensure easy access to up-to-date information while tracking and managing employee progress. These platforms are also excellent tools to create personalised learning paths to cater for the individual needs of workers. In the Life Sciences sector, LMS can secure compliance with regulatory bodies and help you meet mandatory personnel training requirements. A system that can captivate users and smoothly integrates into their schedules is fundamental to high adoption.

 

 

 

Addressing skill shortages in the Life Sciences industry requires a collaborative effort between employers and employees. The disconnect between the two groups in terms of available resources and desired learning methods needs to be bridged. Creating a work culture that encourages learning and communication is essential, as demonstrated by successful initiatives like reverse mentoring. By investing in learning and development, you can have a competitive advantage in an industry expected to be worth globally USD 47.5 billion by 2027.