Eli Lilly and Company

Hiring & Retention Challenges in the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industry

The pharmaceutical & biotechnology sector — with leaders like Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Gilead Sciences — is renowned for strong talent retention and exceptional expertise, yet it faces persistent challenges in hiring and advancing top performers. 62% of companies excel in short-term retention and 69% in long-term retention, while nearly all achieve high marks in industry recognition (92%) and lead the Fortune 500 in skills and educational attainment (100%). These strengths reflect the sector’s investment in specialized knowledge, advanced degrees, and cutting-edge research talent.

However, a major obstacle undermines this success: only 23% of companies show above-average promotion rates. Highly regulated environments, narrow career pathways, and long development cycles often stifle upward mobility and cross-functional growth. As a result, companies risk losing emerging leaders to more agile industries that promise faster progression and diverse career experiences. To remain competitive, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms must rethink leadership pipelines, accelerate internal mobility, and create more visible, dynamic career pathways — or risk retention gains being offset by talent stagnation and eventual attrition at the top.

Eli Lilly and Company: Setting the Benchmark for Quality of Hire

Eli Lilly and Company stands out as the gold standard for quality of hire in this competitive landscape — ranking 1st in short-term retention, 2nd in long-term retention, and 2nd in promotion rate among its 13 Fortune 500 peers. While its industry recognition and skills advancement rank 7th, its approach to talent goes far beyond metrics. Lilly has built an ecosystem of development and employee experience that not only attracts world-class talent but keeps it thriving.

What’s driving Lilly’s results

• LillyU, the Data and Analytics Institute, and Explore Your Career: provide employees with cutting-edge technical training, leadership development through programs like Discover Leading@Lilly, and transparent pathways to advancement.
• Tuition assistance, mobility, mentorship: the company offers $10,000 in annual tuition assistance, robust internal mobility tools, and mentorship programs with over 12,800 pairings, reinforcing its commitment to continuous growth.
• Holistic wellbeing: employees benefit from onsite health clinics, health coaching, mental health resources, and flexible leave programs — ensuring a holistic approach to well-being that strengthens retention at every level.
• Employee confidence: externally recognized as one of the top companies for employee confidence, with 67% of employees stating they would not leave for higher pay and 79% reporting excitement to come to work.
• Global investment: launching a Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad, expected to grow to 1,500 employees by 2027 to advance AI, cloud, and automation innovation.
• Cultural foundations: a combination of competitive benefits, inclusive culture, leadership sponsorship of DEI initiatives, and forward-thinking talent strategy positions Lilly as a best-in-class employer in the pharmaceuticals & biotechnology industry.