Pharma Manufacturing Professionals Are Staying Put Despite Growing Uncertainty

The PharmTech annual survey of employment trends, conducted during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, reveals a workforce navigating a complex period of high personal engagement and systemic instability. While professionals remain intellectually driven, a growing sense of job insecurity and a cautious outlook for the industry’s growth define the current sentiment. The 2025 survey results speak to accelerated AI adoption across R&D and manufacturing (1), regulatory innovation paired with heightened scrutiny (2–4), ongoing geopolitical and supply chain pressures (5,6), and workforce strain and skills realignment (7), among other trends the industry experienced in 2025 and expects to experience into 2026 and beyond.

How are satisfaction and salary balanced?

Overall job satisfaction has seen an interesting shift. In the latest survey, 30% of respondents reported being fully satisfied with their current job, a notable increase from the same survey conducted a year prior (Q4 2024), in which less than 15% expressed such satisfaction. However, this hasn't translated to financial contentment; only 16% are fully satisfied with their current salary, a figure that has remained virtually stagnant across the past 12 months.

The drivers behind this satisfaction remain consistent. Intellectual stimulation (50%) and a good work/life balance (43%) were the highest-rated contributors to satisfaction, with the value placed on work/life balance seeing a significant growth compared with being considered a top factor for only 31% of respondents in 2024 (Figure 1).

How has the threat of involuntary change and instability changed?

One of the most significant findings is the decline in perceived job security. Currently, 25% of professionals feel "much less secure" in their roles than they did a year prior, representing a sharp rise in anxiety, as only 11% felt this insecure in Q4 2024 (Figure 2). This fear is grounded in turnover trends: 27% of respondents experienced an involuntary job change in the past two years, nearly doubling the 14.5% reported in 2024. Conversely, voluntary changes remained low, around 16%, across both years, suggesting that while many may be unhappy, they are holding onto their roles in a volatile market.

Despite these pressures, loyalty to the field remains high. Indeed, more than 46% of respondents strongly disagree with leaving the bio/pharma industry entirely, a dip from the 59% who felt this strongly about staying a year prior but still an indication of a robust commitment to the sector.

What’s new in the area of professional development?

Perceptions of training have improved in the past 12 months. Approximately 57% of professionals agreed that sufficient role-specific training is provided by their employers, up from about 49% in 2024. Furthermore, 59% now believe new employees enter the workforce with an appropriate knowledge base, a significant improvement from the 46% who agreed with that statement in 2024.

However, companies are struggling with rapid digitalization. Only 7% view their company as an industry leader in bridging the digital skills gap. A concerning 30% believe their company is trailing behind others in the industry, and 27% feel their organization is trailing in attracting and retaining top talent as technology shifts.

What’s the outlook for 2026?

The outlook for the future is one of cautious stabilization. For 2026, 52% of respondents expect the state of the industry to remain about the same, while only 23% expect it to be better. This contrasts with the 2024 results, when 44% held a more optimistic view that the industry would improve. Regarding quantitative outcomes for the coming year, the consensus is split; 39% expect a slight increase, while 36% believe outcomes will stay the same.


References

1. Lavery, P. The Year of AI: 2025’s Bio/pharma Upskilling Revolution. PharmTech.com. Dec. 25, 2025.
2. Cole, C.; Hollan, M.; Studna, A.; et al. CNPV Deep Dive: Perspectives on Accelerated FDA Review From the C-Suite to the Manufacturing Floor. PharmTech.com. Dec. 17, 2025.
3. Lavery, P. FAQ: FDA’s Shifts in Pharma Regulation and Strategy in 2025. PharmTech.com. Dec. 15, 2025.
4. Cole, C. FDA Publishes More Than 200 Complete Response Letters. PharmTech.com. July 11, 2025.
5. Cole, C. The Year of the Tariff: Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Reimagined in 2025. PharmTech.com. Dec. 27, 2025.
6. Cole, C. Navigating Geopolitical Shifts, M&A, and Supply Chain Resilience. PharmTech.com. Jan. 2, 2026.
7. Cole, C. The Bio/pharma Industry Navigates AI’s Impact on Workforce and Hiring. PharmTech.com. Oct. 30, 2025.