Aimee Gillett, Head of HR at Panthera, shares her insights into how to foster career progression, engagement, and retention within the world of clinical research.
Engagement and Retention are buzz words often used in the world of business, but how do we actually achieve this in our organisations and specifically in Clinical Research?
We all want the best talent to gravitate towards our businesses and use their skills and knowledge to enhance business success, which is even more crucial in when you’re in the business of advancing medical science. There are a number of ways that HR professionals can support this in Clinical Research and particularly something that Panthera pride themselves on, boasting our 100th employee in 2024 and retention for colleagues over 5 years in a business that has been in operation since 2020.
Creating Career Pathways
At Panthera, we offer career pathways for our colleagues to understand and visualise growth from Clinical Trials Assistant to senior positions like Site Operations Management. Through open communication, and with the support of our experts in clinical research, we have been able to establish robust pathways for our colleagues to develop and succeed.
We believe that investing in continuous learning and professional development is key to career progression. That’s why we provide access to tailored training programs, skills development, and industry-recognised certifications to help our team members enhance their skills and advance in their roles. By fostering a culture of growth and collaboration, we empower our colleagues to take charge of their careers and contribute to the success of clinical research.
Continuous Professional Development
The clinical research industry is always evolving, and true to this we want our colleagues to always be developing with new practises and technologies. We advocate for all of our teams to expand their knowledge and skills in their departments and are keen to invest in our colleagues obtaining innovative and effective ways of working.
To support this, Panthera offer a range of learning opportunities, from in-house training sessions and workshops to external certifications and industry conferences. By providing access to the latest advancements in clinical research, we ensure our teams stay at the forefront of industry best practices. Our goal is to create an environment where continuous learning is not just encouraged but is an integral part of career development at Panthera.
Internal Mobility
Working in clinical research encourages cross-functional collaboration and can pique an interest from exposure to different areas of research. Panthera have had a lot of success in colleagues taking lateral moves as part of their career progression into Project Management, Clinical roles and Quality Assurance.
We actively support our colleagues in exploring new career paths within Panthera through mentorship and hands-on experience in different roles. Whenever possible, we prioritise internal opportunities for colleagues who are eager to develop their careers through lateral moves.
Support Work-Life Balance
In such a demanding industry, where additional exploration of skills and development is actively encouraged, it is important to be mindful of supporting a work-life balance through flexible working arrangements and wellness programmes.
Panthera support our colleagues in their development whilst also considering their commitments outside of work, by offering flexibility and enhanced annual leave policies. Each year, we celebrate International Self Care Day by closing our business and encouraging our colleagues to take some well-deserved rest and time to invest in whatever it is that Self Care means to them.
By implementing the above within Panthera, we have identified the importance of investment in people and how this can be conducted to fit with our Core Values; People First, Openness, Collaboration, Safety, Efficiency and Trust.