Staffing practices and selection tools at Pfizer

Business Management: Staffing Practices & Selection Tools:

Analysis of a Pharmaceutical Organization

In the past few decades, globalization and technology are two emerging trends that play a significant role in any organization's staffing practices and selection tools used to meet current and future employment needs. Both globalization and technology pose dilemmas for any pharmaceutical company with a large number of promising drug candidates. This paper examines and analyzes the staffing practices of Pfizer in its position as a leading worldwide pharmaceutical company. Pfizer is a good example of a company whose staffing practices have met their current employment needs and continues to meet future employment needs. This company is in an excellent position, as demonstrated by the fact that its overall sales exceeded $45 billion in the last year, up 40% over the previous year (Pfizer, 2004). This strong financial performance has its roots in the employees that comprise the company.

II. Technology

Technology is another emerging trend in which organizations implement to strengthen their staffing practices and selection tools. The future goals of any major pharmaceutical company are similar to those of Pfizer: directing financial and management resources to the areas in which the company has potential for expansion, new product initiatives, and a focus on research (Pfizer, 2004). A general risk in the United States is that some states discourage the use of new medicines, instead focusing on the higher cost of the new drugs. New drugs manufactured must be examined on the basis of the spending they prevent -- more hospitalizations and higher overall costs.

The use of technology in this area is very important, as the company must spend money on the employees that account for this type of work. Achieving reductions in healthcare depends on innovative medicines, preventive care, effective patient education, and a well-coordinated healthcare system focused on those most at risk (Pfizer, 2004). Unlike some of the other global leaders, Pfizer strives to achieve these reductions through their research and development in 18 different therapeutic areas. Technology is used at Pfizer to select employees, train employees, and evaluate them as well. New employee applications can be completed and automatically submitted on to human resources staff. An automated computer system them sifts through applications to match keywords to positions before any human eye sees them.

Effectiveness of Practices

Globalization in staffing at Pfizer has been met through heavy investment, the launching of new grant programs, the building of medical facilities in third world countries, Medicare reform, and the opposition of illegally imported medicines (Pfizer, 2004). Pfizer's goals are furthered through industry partnership in science and biotechnology, thus gaining access to novel research and development tools and key data on emerging trends. The current staffing selection tools used at Pfizer seems to be very effective, as Pfizer boasts over 12,500 scientists in research facilities working on the never-ending discovery of innovative medicines. The future in this area looks bright, as Pfizer's plans to submit 20 new medicines for regulatory approval during a five period, a feat that could not be predicted without a large and efficient staff.

Finally, globalization and technology always be a significant factor for global pharmaceutical companies, and in some cases may be a deciding factor between success and financial failure. Pfizer has successfully overcome the uncertainty in drug development and competitive pressures through the use of an excellent employee base. Such an employee base could not be achieved without effective staffing practices not selection tools. These business practices continue to make Pfizer a unique company and have helped to maintain their global stance in the world of pharmaceutical companies.