“A week is a long time in politics” – A year is too short for Workforce Planning

Deloitte's 2025 Life Sciences Outlook highlights the sector's potential for transformation, driven by digital advancements and scientific innovations. Additionally, KPMG's 2024 CEO Outlook indicates that 78% of CEOs are confident in their company's growth prospects.

As the pace of change and disruption accelerates, a disconnect has emerged between the lofty ambitions of organisations and the readiness of their workforces to meet them. Gaps in leadership capability and succession pipelines, coupled with a lack of digital skills and retention challenges, create the perfect storm.

In this environment, organisations need more than agility - they need resilience built into their workforce strategy.

Wellbeing, leadership & the human cost of change

Biologics manufacturing capacity increased tenfold in 2024, with an additional 34% forecasted by 2028, and the Biopharma market is expected to reach $1.7 trillion 2030. As global competition for biopharma talent intensifies - the pressure on people is mounting. While inflation is easing, the cost of living remains stubbornly elevated, eroding employee wellbeing and shifting workforce expectations. A large cohort of the world’s employees continue to struggle at work and in life with direct consequences for organisational productivity.

“Global employee engagement has stagnated, and overall wellbeing is declining,” – Gallup, 2024.

Managers, who are pivotal to team performance, are increasingly overwhelmed. According to Gallup, “70% of team engagement is determined solely by the manager, yet 75% of HR leaders report that managers are struggling under the weight of expanding responsibilities". This decline in employee wellbeing is not just a personal or community concern - it’s a business risk that directly affects productivity, retention and long-term success.

The talent mismatch is growing 

The biopharmaceutical industry is undergoing a radical skills transformation. Organisations that adopt a strategic approach to Talent Management (Recruitment, Upskilling & Leadership Development) will maintain a competitive edge in the evolving healthcare landscape.

"39% of workers’ core skills will change by 2030." – World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025

Despite this seismic shift, 61% of HR leaders admit their workforce planning efforts are limited to just one year (Gartner, 2024). This short-termism leaves organisations flat-footed in an environment where talent agility is a strategic necessity. The convergence of biology, chemistry, AI and automation will create a demand for professionals who can work across disciplines. Companies will need to invest in attracting the niche skillsets required, such as bioinformatics, AI-driven drug discovery and automation expertise, and in continuous learning programs to ensure employees adapt to new digital tools and methodologies.

CEOs are betting big on new technologies, especially generative AI, to improve R&D and drive productivity (KPMG, 2024) but acknowledge they lack the talent to deliver on the benefits of generative AI goals. Most say they struggle just to replace retiring employees. Meanwhile, 47% of employees using AI tools say they have no idea how to achieve expected productivity gains (Gartner, 2024).

The biopharmaceutical industry stands at an inflection point - poised for innovation yet challenged by workforce shortages, evolving skill demands and economic pressures. AI, automation and biologics manufacturing are transforming how work gets done, but without a strategic approach to Workforce Planning, companies risk falling behind. Organisations must act now, adopting long-term workforce strategies, investing in leadership and fostering cultures of continuous learning. The next era of biopharma will be defined not only by scientific discovery but by the organisations that empower people to drive it forward.