[column]Everyone has been crying from the roof top that the attrition rate is alarming, good candidates are not available, even the available candidates are very poor in communication, etc. in pharma industry, therefore trying to blame such factors and claim they have no control over these. However I feel these things are still in our control to a great extent. If all the stake holders involved in the process, i.e. HR, training, and the line managers understand, and act very methodically and efficiently, these problems can be overcome and we can still deliver the best results. Let us see, how this can be ensured?
[wp_ad_camp_4]HR: Try to fill up vacancies FAST with the right candidates, as vacancies means business lost every month, every day, & every hour. It is very difficult to get back lost business. Can go to Colleges close to the vacant Head Quarters, present to the final year students about the organization, the profession, for which we are sourcing the candidates, the career growth opportunities, & incentives available in the profession, if anyone does a good job, etc. If this is done meticulously, I am sure one can source good, fresh and enthusiastic youngsters from campuses. One can also collect the name and mobile number of last year passed out students from the same college, talk to them, explain to them about the organization, about the profession/career, and its prospects. If we talk to 25 such candidates, we may get some 5-6 prospects, with whom you can proceed further and see.[/column]
Besides, senior line managers and HR to follow up, with the Front Line Managers, and ensure that they act FAST without dilly dallying in filling up of vacancies. Line managers can also source candidates from their professional circle, thru the help of own team members (their friends & relatives if they are suitable), placing an ad in local & neighbourhood newspapers where the vacancies are there, sourcing good candidates from other companies during field working, taking the help of professional recruitment agencies with exposure to pharma industry, etc. Thus you will notice that a lot of avenues are available to source good candidates, which are not that time consuming. HR & line managers should combine synergistically to overcome and resolve this issue FAST.
Training: Training Department comes into the picture now. They are required to impart Product Knowledge, Selling, and Marketing skills, and necessary behaviour to the newly selected field force, to ensure that by the time they complete the training programme, they have the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviour to do a wonderful job in the field. If the meaning of detailing story is explained properly, and the story is practiced many times, the trainees will end up as better communicators. This will get further improved once they start working in the field, when they will be required to detail at least 10 times a day! Thus communication problem can be overcome, with practice and more practice, if the newly selected MRs also so desire.
Line managers: Line managers must ensure that those who have completed successfully the training programme, are inducted properly in the field, and the on the job training continues whenever they work jointly with the field force. Line managers, during joint working, must demonstrate sincerity, hard work, product knowledge, good communication/detailing, and conversion of doctors ethically. These are picked up and learnt by the young minds, and they try to follow. Thus the line managers must be able to touch, move, and inspire all their team members. The medical representatives too on their part should be willing to work hard, learn as much as possible, and would like to do a good job, earn incentives regularly and grow in their career. Under such a scenario, the medical representatives will regard their line managers as their ‘mentor’ and will not leave them that easily. Thus, retention is assured to a great extent.[end_columns]
[box]Thus HR, training, and line managers should combine synergistically, as explained to above, and resolve the problem of not getting good people and help organizations to march towards a better and bright future.[/box]
