Onboarding in the pharmaceutical industry: 5 key steps to prevent early departures

Step 1: Preboarding onboarding starts before day one

Good onboarding begins before the employee even steps into the company.
Preboarding is a preparation phase aimed at reducing stress, anticipating logistical needs, and—most importantly—building an emotional connection with the company.

Concrete actions:

• Send a personalized welcome email a few days before arrival.
• Provide a digital or physical welcome pack: employee handbook, team presentation, quality charter, site map, useful HR info.
• Grant access to internal HR tools: onboarding portal, first-week schedule, administrative forms.
• Organize a pre-arrival video call with the manager or an HR contact to answer initial questions.

Goal: The new hire feels expected, prepared, and reassured. They arrive with confidence—not uncertainty.

Step 2: Structured onboarding a clear 90-day plan

The first day is here. But the experience must not be improvised.
Effective onboarding in pharma should follow a 3-phase journey (welcome, training, autonomy) over the first 90 days.

Given the pharmaceutical industry’s strict procedures and compliance standards, integration should be progressive but methodical.

Three onboarding phases in pharma:

• Days 1–5: official welcome, desk setup, site tour, team introductions, equipment handover, mandatory trainings (safety, confidentiality, GMP).
• Weeks 2–4: immersion in the functional environment (R&D, QA, production, regulatory), supervised task start, access to digital tools (Veeva, SAP, LIMS…).
• Months 2–3: ramp-up in responsibilities, growing autonomy, regular check-ins with manager and mentor.

Best practices:

• Provide a checklist to both the employee and manager.
• Offer short, flexible training formats (e-learning, coaching, internal videos).
• Assign a buddy or internal sponsor to ease integration.

Goal: Make the employee autonomous, skilled, and integrated—without overload or confusion.

Step 3: Cultural immersion bringing company values to life

In pharma, compliance is essential—but that shouldn’t come at the expense of human connection.
Performance is also driven by a sense of belonging.

Too often, new hires are overwhelmed with documents, processes, and regulatory training—but don’t actually experience the company culture.

What to implement:

• Host a welcome breakfast with leadership and new employees.
• Design a cultural onboarding program: company history, values, social commitments, success stories.
• Offer "day in the life" experiences in other departments (plant tour, customer support, field sales).
• Create moments of team bonding (lunch, afterwork, escape game…).

Bonus idea:
A handwritten welcome card from the team or a digital wall with photos and welcome messages can make a real emotional impact.

Goal: The employee understands where they work, why it matters, who they work with—and what makes the company unique.

Step 4: Practical learning from theory to real-world experience

Effective training isn’t purely academic. In the pharmaceutical sector, hands-on learning is essential.
New hires need to quickly grasp the specific norms of their environment: sterile production, regulatory documentation, quality testing, audits, traceability…

Effective tools:

• Shadowing: work alongside a senior colleague on initial tasks.
• Real-life tasks: perform a document review, conduct a test, write a deviation report…
• Immediate feedback: quick debrief after each task to reinforce best practices.
• Digital simulation: immersive e-learning platforms with pharma case studies.

Real-world example:
At some pharma companies, new quality analysts spend 2 weeks paired with an experienced technician, gradually gaining independence under supervision of the QA manager.

Goal: Strengthen knowledge retention and build operational confidence.

Step 5: Ongoing support regular feedback and follow-up

Many onboarding efforts fail due to a lack of follow-up.
Integration doesn’t end after the first week—it plays out over 3 to 6 months.

Key milestones to schedule:

• Day 7: initial feedback, questions, adjustments.
• 1 month: assessment of progress, manager feedback, role clarity.
• 3 months: long-term outlook, identification of additional needs.
• 6 months: probation review, discussion of mid-term objectives.

Useful tools:

• Skill development tracking grids
• Onboarding satisfaction surveys
• Coordinated HR follow-up with the manager

Goal: Create a climate of trust and open communication, and prevent misunderstandings or hidden frustrations.

Results of a well-designed onboarding program

• Lower 6-month turnover
• Faster integration into teams
• Fewer errors due to unfamiliarity with procedures
• Stronger early-stage engagement
• Enhanced employer brand image