One in five employees across India’s pharmaceuticals, healthcare and biotechnology sectors has struggled to adapt to workplace change, according to a new report released by Great Place To Work India.
The findings come at a time when these sectors are expanding rapidly while facing global pressures, regulatory intensity and persistent talent shortages.
The report, which examined workforce trends across the three industries, has underlined that organisations prioritising trust, adaptability and employee care are seeing stronger commitment, higher readiness for innovation and better work–life balance.
It has also shown that culture is emerging as a measurable driver of business outcomes, rather than a soft organisational factor.
Trust has stood out as a critical differentiator, particularly in pharmaceutical organisations. Where employees perceive management as honest and ethical, intent to stay has risen by 37%, an outcome that holds significance in a sector under constant pricing and compliance pressures.
Overall, 81% of employees have said that management actions match their words, while 89% have viewed leadership as honest and ethical.
Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work India, said, “India’s pharmaceutical, healthcare, and biotech sectors are scaling significantly, with workplace culture emerging as a key driver of trust, innovation, and performance.”
LEARNING, ADAPTABILITY AND INNOVATION
In the biotechnology sector, employee perception of access to training and development has improved by 6% year-on-year, with 85% of employees in 2025 reporting access to training, up from 79% in 2024.
Despite this progress, adaptation has remained uneven, with one in five employees still finding it difficult to adjust to workplace change.
The data has established a strong link between learning and innovation. Employees with access to training have reported 33% higher innovation opportunities, while teams adapting quickly to change have shown 54% greater positivity towards career growth.
Employees in adaptable organisations have also been more likely to feel optimistic about long-term career prospects.
INDIA’S BEST WORKPLACES IN HEALTHCARE SECTOR
| S. No. | Organisation Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alcon Laboratories India Private Limited |
| 2 | Apitoria Pharma Private Limited |
| 3 | Aragen Life Sciences Limited |
| 4 | Biogen |
| 5 | Brinton Pharmaceuticals Limited |
| 6 | Cipla Limited |
| 7 | CK Birla Healthcare – A CKA Birla Group Company |
| 8 | Dr. B. Lal Clinical Laboratory Private Limited |
| 9 | Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited |
| 10 | Fermenta Biotech Limited |
| 11 | Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited |
| 12 | HCL Healthcare |
| 13 | INTAS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD. |
| 14 | Kids Clinic India Limited (Cloudnine) |
| 15 | Laurus Labs Limited |
| 16 | Max Healthcare Institute Limited |
| 17 | Medtronic Engineering And Innovation Center Private Limited |
| 18 | Novartis Healthcare Private Limited |
| 19 | R1 RCM Global Private Limited |
| 20 | Rukmani Birla Hospital – A Part of CK Birla Hospitals |
| 21 | Sagility India Limited |
| 22 | Sentiss Pharma Private Limited |
| 23 | Sigachi Industries Limited |
| 24 | Stryker India |
| 25 | Thermo Fisher Scientific India |
CARE AND WELL-BEING AT WORK
The report has also revealed gaps in emotional well-being support, especially in healthcare.
Nearly one in five healthcare employees has felt their workplace does not adequately support emotional well-being, increasing burnout risk.
In contrast, psychologically safe teams have reported 58% higher levels of positive work–life balance, directly influencing retention and quality of care.
“To sustain future growth, leaders need to ensure continuous training and development, encourage meaningful collaboration, and demonstrate agility to sustain growth in high-pressure environments,” said CEO Balbir Singh.
Across sectors, the findings have pointed to one conclusion: when trust, adaptability and care are embedded into daily practices, organisations are better equipped to sustain long-term performance and value.
– Ends
