As companies across industries continue to encourage employees to return to the office, the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors are experiencing unique challenges and opportunities. While remote work became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site work remains critical in these industries due to the hands-on nature of research, manufacturing, and regulatory compliance. For example, addressing quality deviations often requires an on-sire presence to adequately resolve issues effectively and timely. The shift back to office-based roles is influencing collaboration, productivity, and employee satisfaction in a variety of meaningful ways.
In pharmaceutical and medical device companies, the return to office affects employees in laboratory and manufacturing roles the most. These positions often require access to specialized equipment and highly controlled environments, making remote work impractical and at times impossible. For research and development teams, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs, working in person fosters real-time collaboration and problem-solving, which can accelerate innovation. However, many employees who had adapted to hybrid schedules are now struggling with longer commutes and less flexibility.
The return-to-office movement is also impacting cross-functional collaboration. Regulatory, marketing, and sales teams in the industry often work closely with R&D and manufacturing. Being in the same physical space can improve communication, speed up feedback time, and streamline decision-making processes. Many organizations are opting for hybrid models, which allow them to maintain productivity while offering employees a level of flexibility. Hybrid schedules have also been reported to be a significant logistical challenge.
Companies that handle the return-to-office transition effectively are actively striving to create a hybrid friendly work culture, changing communication strategies, leveraging new technology, prioritizing team bonding, investing in training and development, and implementing mentoring programs, which can make the transition smoother [1]. Ultimately, how the pharmaceutical and medical device industries navigate this shift will determine their ability to retain skilled workers while fostering innovation.
If your organization needs support managing workplace transitions due to changes in work-from-home policies, EMMA International can assist in a project management capacity or through staff augmentation. EMMA International can reduce the strain on your company from policy changes.
EMMA International provide full-circle solutions for all aspects of the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. Give us a call at 248-987-4497 or email us at info@emmainternational.com to learn more about how EMMA International can take the stress out of quality and regulatory compliance!
[1] Tsipursky (2024) The Surprising Reason For The Return To Office, Retrieved on 09 December from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebtsipursky/2023/05/08/the-surprising-reason-for-the-return-to-office/
