Talent Acquisition Leaders Shift Focus to Internal Mobility and Workforce Development

In a rapidly evolving pharmaceutical landscape, talent acquisition leaders at major companies are redefining their approach to recruitment and workforce management. This shift comes as a response to industry-wide restructuring and the need for increased business agility. Companies like Pfizer and Bayer are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging new technologies and strategies to support internal mobility, upskilling, and reskilling of their existing workforce.

Embracing Internal Talent Development

Rowena Vinci, global talent acquisition leader at Pfizer, emphasizes the company's move towards a more proactive partnership with HR business partners in talent management. "Before, recruitment was just focused on external hiring, external sourcing, and then we wait for internal supply," Vinci explained. "But now, we have shifted to being more proactive partners—to say, the HR business partners in the talent management space. We want to be able to retain the talent instead of heavy external hiring."

This approach involves a more integrated strategy to retain talent, going beyond simply having employees search and apply for internal positions. Close collaboration with HR and hiring managers is crucial to the success of this new model.

Implementing Dynamic Shared Ownership

At Bayer, Katie Gentry, talent acquisition leader for pharma and enabling functions, has been part of a similar transformation. The company has introduced a new operating model called dynamic shared ownership (DSO). Gentry describes it as "a model focused on collaboration and the prioritization of resources towards the highest value work; the employees closest to the work have the decision-making power."

This model empowers employees to make decisions that best serve patients, allowing teams to be more nimble and collaborative on various projects. The shift represents a significant change in how pharmaceutical companies approach talent management and decision-making processes.

Leveraging Technology for Skill Mapping and Internal Mobility

Both Pfizer and Bayer are harnessing technology to facilitate internal mobility and skill development. Pfizer uses advanced tools to match employees' experiences and profiles with open roles within the company. This approach is particularly valuable during restructuring or layoffs, as it helps retain talent by automatically matching affected employees with suitable positions.

Bayer is moving towards becoming a skills-based workplace, utilizing skill mapping and an internally built talent marketplace. Gentry explains, "It is going to enable us to move talent across fields, maybe to areas where they have never worked before, but they have a skill set that would be applicable to the projects that are going on."

These technological advancements in talent management are helping pharmaceutical companies adapt to changing business needs while supporting employee growth and retention.