Life Sciences Company

Leadership Development Strengthens Core Values
After a large merger, this large life sciences organization set out to build a distinctive culture that would strengthen the new organization and enable it to adapt to sudden changes so common in their industry.

To that end, the organization established a new leadership development group with a dedicated mission: To create a learning environment that fosters education and career advancement opportunities in both leadership tracks and individual contributor tracks for all employees.

Comprehensive partnership with Harvard Business Publishing
The organization partnered with Harvard Business Publishing to provide enhanced people systems that emphasize a Publishing corporate learning culture built around core corporate values. Together the leadership development and Harvard Business Publishing teams mapped the six core company values to specific curriculum content [see breakout below]. The content delivered would include online skill development courses, online reference modules, print and digital content, and blended learning programs. Competency models were created to identify existing skill sets and to more clearly define success factors.

Training programs for all employees
The resulting Learning Gateway portal offers employees ready access to all training and development programs, including classroom training schedules, online learning modules, and information related to function-specific training along with tools, resources and online support. The training covers areas related to sales, medical training, marketing, field management, and management development.

For leadership and management development, the organization's customized site offers a comprehensive set of Harvard Business' courses and programs, including Harvard ManageMentor®, Leadership Transitions, Case in Point®, Faculty Seminar Series, article reprints from Harvard Business Review, and books from Harvard Business School Press.

Clear roadmaps, accurate measurements
With a clear roadmap for professional development of individual contributors, managers and high potentials, the organization can assess individual employee performance, pinpoint which employees are using the learning programs, accurately gauge learning costs, and better manage tuition reimbursement programs. Moreover, employees are equipped with the tools to succeed in their current roles and to aspire to new responsibilities.

Successful initiative
The initiative has had a near immediate impact. Recent analysis of demonstrated skills indicates a clear reduction in the “competency gaps” identified in the initial needs assessment. Through nearly full employee participation in the comprehensive program, the organization identified more than 250 employees as high-potential future leaders and initiated specific leadership development programs for them.

Flexibility for new requirements
The framework's flexible design gives the leadership development group the capability to design and implement in-house programs and offerings for just-in-time training, which will continue to prove instrumental in keeping employees current with rapidly evolving best industry practices.