The BioSpace Ideal Employer Report examined aspects regarding the importance of culture within life sciences organizations.
What comes to mind when you think about culture in the workplace? What makes one organization’s culture better or worse than another? Many life sciences professionals have their own unique definitions of culture, which can be used interchangeably with company culture, organizational culture, workplace culture and corporate culture. How would you explain the concept of culture?
Corporate culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards and beliefs that characterize members of an organization and define its nature. Corporate culture is rooted in an organization’s goals, strategies, structure and approaches to labor, customers, investors, and the greater community.*
The BioSpace Ideal Employer Report examined aspects regarding the importance of culture within life sciences organizations. Its comprehensive survey results showed extensive detail about how employees perceive different companies. Participants included over 2,700 life sciences professionals who shared their thoughts on what company attributes were most important to them and which organizations were the most prestigious. The results of the study showed that a significant attribute for many employees involved having a “company culture that aligns with my values.” Here is the list of the top 15 culture-focused life sciences employers!
- Regeneron
- Bayer
- Vertex
- Biogen
- Bluebird
- GSK
- Genentech
- Astra Zeneca
- Novartis
- Amgen
- Gilead
- BioMarin
- Johnson & Johnson
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Verily
According to the survey, there were some significant similarities and differences between men and women when viewing various traits. Participants were given a list of nineteen attributes to rank based on importance. 74% of women ranked company culture that aligns with my values as important. In comparison, 66% of men selected it as important. Aspects of culture were a common theme throughout those conversations. Since life science fields are still male-dominated industries, it can be difficult for women to attain leadership roles on projects and throughout organizations. Women respondents could have been focused on how a company’s culture could align with their values of professional growth, respect and/or work-life balance.
Throughout the survey, there were also major differences noted between how current employees view their organization, and how outsiders perceive that same company. Based on the data, many organizations have a public perception problem, because their employees tended to rank them higher on desirable attributes than those individuals who never worked there. When it came to culture, approximately 69% of insiders (who work for the organization) listed “company culture that aligns with my values” as a strength. However, only about 44% of outsiders listed that as a strength based on their perception. From the outside looking in, it’s difficult to understand what actually goes on within an organization.
The BioSpace Ideal Employer Report provided a wealth of information about how professionals view some of the major life sciences companies. The top 15 culture-focused organizations were recognized for their perceived alignment with the values respondents cared about. Women and men displayed different preferences in regards to the importance of culture. In addition, employees who worked for organizations being studied tended to view their companies more favorably regarding culture, than outsiders did. What are some indicators that an organization’s culture aligns with your values?
Porschia Parker-Griffin is a Certified Coach, Professional Resume Writer, and Founder of Fly High Coaching. (https://www.fly-highcoaching.com) She empowers ambitious professionals and motivated executives to add $10K on average to their salaries.
