What does it take for an organization to attract young professionals?
In this article we spoke with Ida Grimsby, Manager of Talent Acquisition in the Nordics for Cytiva, about Cytiva’s recent ranking in the Young Professional Attraction Index and the work that went into achieving this accolade.
Students and early-stage professionals have ranked Cytiva in Sweden #12 among big brands for employer attractiveness.
In Sweden, Cytiva ranked 12 out of the top 100 most attractive employers by the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI), which surveyed 5000 young professionals. Those asked were an equal mix of students and those already working.
Cytiva are the second-best newcomer and ranked higher than any other life science or pharma companies on the list.
An impressive ranking among some big household brands.
About the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI)
Published by a Swedish recruiting company, the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI) 2022 surveyed participants about whether they felt valued by their employer and, in turn, whether the employer was worthy of their talent and time.
The professionals were also asked: Which companies do they see as their ideal employers? The level of attraction is based on three areas: reputation, success, and how eager young professionals are to work for the employer.
The YPAI survey also works to amplify the voices of young professionals and provide organizations with the insight to continue to attract, develop, and retain tomorrow’s workforce.
Talent is an important topic to Cytiva as reflected in the Global Biopharma Resilience Index which found access to talent as one of the five greatest challenges facing the industry.
What does it take to ensure professionals feel valued?
Creating a desirable and welcoming working environment is not just about a competitive compensation package and safe working conditions, it is also about openness, flexible working hours, wellbeing, and a healthy work life balance.
Ida Grimsby, Manager of Talent Acquisition in the Nordics for Cytiva, highlights the importance of maintaining an open and healthy workplace us well as show career paths and to strengthen the leadership.
Even in her own experience as a young professional she experiences the benefits of a flexible workplace. Ida is 31 and a mother with two earlier this year had the opportunity to step into a managerial role. She says that having flexible hours and a hybrid workplace allows her to be there for her children and lead her team effectively.
Recognition is vital in a collaborative and innovative organization. Within Cytiva this recognition can come in the form of Cytiva Celebrates. A recognition program, where associates at all levels can formally acknowledge and celebrate each other through one centralized platform. Ida sees it as a way to foster a ‘culture of recognition.’
The talent acquisition team are continuously working to promote Cytiva as an attractive employer for everyone. But to specifically attract young professionals, Cytiva Sweden offer around 50 to 80 summer internships, collaborate with Uppsala University, sponsor science programs, support with lab equipment and attend career fairs. As Ida puts it, “we make sure that we are available where the students are.”
Many summer interns even go on to become permanent employees after graduation which speaks to the variety of internships available across manufacturing and operational logistics, and R&D.
“This is definitely appreciated by students, and it creates a good network and experiences.” — Ida Grimsby
According to Ida, to increase young talent into the organization it’s important to utilize social media. Having a strong social media presence, you can communicate new jobs and raise general awareness about the company and what the company can offer you as an employee through associate spotlights.
Where do we go from here?
We were unaware of our inclusion in the Young Professional Attraction Index and so to end up near the top of the pile at number 12/100 was both great and an unexpected recognition.
On reflection , Ida was proud of her team’s work, “As I’m leading the Swedish Talent Acquisition team, it really shows that we are doing the right things when it comes to attracting young professionals It’s also great to see that the life sciences industry is important for young professionals. I guess the pandemic has shown how important our industry and our products are for society.”
To continue improving our attractiveness to young employees we will maintain our focus on wellbeing, hybrid working, and openness, as well as communicating through social media with this generation and collaborating with universities.
According to Ida, “It is part of our culture to regularly give students the opportunity to gain experience in our organization. This ranking is testament to the work of the organization in Sweden for looking after and valuing its associates.”
To learn more:
Read the full report.
