Our client is a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostics, providing a wide range of products and services. These include instruments, software, consumables, reagents, and content for areas such as cell biology, gene expression, protein purification, protein quantitation, drug discovery and manufacture, food safety, and science education. Founded in 1952 in Berkeley, California, our client has become one of the top five life science companies in the world, dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and improving healthcare.
Statistics
Real Data, Real Stories
The Challenge
Talent Shortage: The client requires highly specialized skills in areas such as bioinformatics, molecular biology, and genomics, leading to a limited talent pool.
Competitive Market: There is fierce competition for skilled biotech professionals, as pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and startups all vie for the same talent.
High Salary Expectations: Due to the specialized nature of the work, candidates often expect higher compensation packages, which can strain the budget, especially for smaller companies.
Regulatory Knowledge: Candidates must be familiar with complex and ever-evolving regulations governing biotech research and product development, making it challenging to find individuals with both the technical and legal expertise.
Geographical Constraints: Many biotech hubs are located in specific regions (e.g., San Francisco, Boston), limiting access to talent for companies outside these areas or forcing them to offer relocation incentives.
Long Recruitment Process: Vetting candidates for their scientific background, experience in clinical trials, or product development is time-consuming, lengthening the recruitment cycle.
Retention Issues: The highly competitive nature of the biotech sector means that retaining talent can be difficult, with employees often being poached by competitors offering better opportunities.
Cultural Fit: Finding candidates who not only possess the technical know-how but also fit into the company’s culture and mission, especially in startups focused on innovation, can be tricky.
Interdisciplinary Skills: Many biotech roles require a combination of scientific, technical, and business acumen. Finding candidates who possess this blend of skills can be challenging.
Innovation vs. Experience: Employers often struggle to balance hiring innovative, young talent with experienced professionals who can navigate the complexities of the industry.
What did
Employee Referrals do?
After partnering with EmployeeReferrals.com, the client integrated an employee referral program powered by our platform. By leveraging their employees’ personal networks, they were able to connect with qualified candidates who might not have otherwise applied. The system made it easy for employees to share job openings with their contacts, both through social media and direct referrals, expanding their talent pool with minimal effort.
One of the key successes came from automating the referral tracking process. The client had previously faced challenges managing referral submissions and tracking candidate progress, which caused delays and confusion. With EmployeeReferrals.com, everything was automated—from submission to status updates—ensuring a seamless experience for both the HR team and employees making the referrals.
Within few months of implementing the program, the client saw a 2x increase in the quality of applicants for their open positions. More importantly, the time-to-hire for key roles, such as research scientists and bioinformatics experts, was reduced by nearly 20%, helping them stay competitive in a fast-moving industry. The program not only brought in top talent but also boosted employee engagement, as staff were excited to contribute to the growth of their company by referring talented peers.
In the long term, the client reported improved retention rates for referred candidates, as they were more likely to fit in with the company culture, having been vouched for by current employees. The success of the referral program became a key part of the client’s talent acquisition strategy, helping them build a stronger, more innovative team in a highly competitive biotech landscape.
The Results
- Visibility to the inner workings of their program
- The ability to make data driven decisions within the employee referral program
- Dramatically increased employee engagement
- Increased referrals have led to an increase in referral hires
- Increased employee and new hire retention
- Minimized manual admin tasks to save time
