Recruiting is the centre of Pfizer's HR operations
Text: Matilda Katajamäki, Images: Olli-Pekka Orpo
During recent years, the world's largest pharmaceutical company Pfizer has adopted a higher profile also in Finland. Nearly 300 people now work in the new headquarters in Munkkiniemi, Helsinki; mostly sales and marketing professionals. Pfizer has received attention for more than just their growth and products: in 2004, the company won the title of Finland's best workplace, granted by LTT Research Ltd.
Cooperation between Psycon and Pfizer began when Pfizer renewed its recruitment practices in 2004. Earlier, an external consultation company used to take care of the entire process; now recruitment is mostly carried out internally. Psycon carries out the personal assessments and provides help during busy periods. HR Manager Terhi Ahvonen from Pfizer emphasises that recruitment is the focal point of the entire HR strategy of the company.
"HR strategy begins already before recruitment by taking care of the good reputation of the company. In this way, future personnel potential can be ensured; we will be able to attract capable personnel also in the future."
"After this, all points on the lifecycle of an employment must be carefully attended to. Recruitment is one of the most important of these. It is a basic factor in the success of each company, and a long-term economical investment that will generate either success or problems. Successful recruitment is a vital success factor in these markets," Ahvonen says.
Pfizer not only competes for employees within the pharmaceutical business. It is important to create interest among graduating students and professionals in other fields as well. Pharmaceutical companies are still not very well known as employers in Finland.
"Students of economics don't really see this as a potential field yet. The belief that you must have a medical degree to be able to work in this field is still common. The title of the best working place in Finland did, however, help a lot: along with increased recognisability, the number of open applications has doubled," says HR Manager Virpi Kalevo. This year, Pfizer also won the employer image competition of the recruitment portal Uranus for the best recruitment Web site.
Experience has proven that when you once end up in the pharmaceutical industry, you usually don't leave. The basic ethics of the industry, promoting people's health and quality of life, makes the work meaningful.
Testing motivation and commitment
And what does Pfizer require from an applicant?
"Above all, we require a dynamic disposition, since the environment is very fast-paced. The ability to react quickly is important, because working hours are used very efficiently. This is probably caused by an influence of American working culture. You need to be a bit of a juggler to be able to keep all the balls up in the air," Ahvonen and Kalevo say.
"You also need a good ability to cooperate and other properties that are self-evident in modern working life. Our employees do not only represent us but the entire pharmaceutical industry."
The ethics and values of the company are also explained to the applicant during the recruiting process. Arja Läärä, the senior consultant and contact person for Psycon has observed, during personal assessments, that applicants have acquainted themselves with the values of the company already during the first interviews. Pfizer values include honesty, the ability to renew, respect for the individual, efficiency and encouraging good leadership.
"We don't want to give the image of a rest-home. Instead, we are honest about the hard work that is expected here. In this way, it's not a surprise to anyone. Arja Läärä agrees that this kind of working culture is not for everyone.
"But for a skilled, ambitious and active person, this kind of organisation can offer an excellent opportunity to prove your abilities," Läärä says.
According to Terhi Ahvonen, the dynamic and efficient nature of the company requires strong motivation and commitment from the employee. These are paid special attention to in the personal assessments of Psycon, the next step of the recruiting process. According to Läärä, the assessment carried out by Psycon yields a good view of the applicant's working methods, interaction and cooperation skills and motivation.
The third step of the recruiting process is an in-depth interview. In addition to the applicant's competence, the results of the assessment are discussed at the interview. At this point, both Pfizer and the applicant have received feedback from the assessment. At the interview, the applicant can comment on the results if he or she believes that it does not give an accurate picture of his or her personality or way of working.
"The three-stage process gives the applicant an opportunity to process their way of working, their suitability and potential a little longer than usual. The process also gives the applicant a conception of whether Pfizer should be his or her next employer. The in-depth interview brings more valuable information to all parties, and the assessment can be utilised in it interactively, through dialogue. To the employer, this is a high-quality process, yielding a very multifaceted image of the applicant, Läärä says.
Calling things with their real names
Terhi Ahvonen emphasises that a careful recruiting process is risk management, minimising miscalculations. A bad recruitment decision not only affects the team in which the new employee works, but may have extensive effects. Each employee has a significant role in the working community.
Referring to her experience as a consultant, Arja Läärä adds that a person who is not comfortable in his or her work usually creates an atmosphere of discontinuance and high criticism. Sometimes such an employee can't handle his or her duties, which increases the workload of others.
"It is also important for the individuals and their career development that they don't end up in the wrong job. Even if it stings when you don't get the job," Läärä says.
Senior consultant Arja Läärä says that cooperation with the superiors and HR people of Pfizer is productive and rewarding.
"We have an open and trusting relationship with Arja. We can call things with their real names, which is necessary because not all of the things we talk about are positive. We can always get hold of the Psycon personnel, and they answer our questions in a friendly way even when they are busy," Virpi Kalevo says.
Taking back the responsibility for most of the recruitment process a year ago was a big decision for Pfizer.
"Even though the old process worked well, we were open to new options. The company had grown along the years, and competence had increased. We made careful surveys on whether we had the appropriate resources for this, and listed the potential partners. We had five candidates, and Psycon met our criteria best," Virpi Kalevo says.
"Of course, the present arrangement is not cast in stone either. We may evaluate the situation again at some point to see which system is more efficient: to take care of recruiting internally as far as possible or to involve a consultation company even more," Terhi Ahvonen adds.