Interview with Pfizer

An interview with Pfizer

The mobility in the job market has changed. Similarly, the criteria that Swedes value most when choosing employers have evolved. Being an attractive employer has become more important than ever. According to a survey in Pharma Voice, Pfizer is the third highest-ranked pharmaceutical company in the world, and 80% of the respondents would recommend the company to a friend. Positive company culture and opportunities for growth are highlighted as important parameters. We visited Pfizer Sweden at their new office in Hagastaden to learn more. In this newsletter, you'll meet Malin Parkler, Country Manager Sweden, and her colleague Anna Winlöf, People Experience Country Lead Pharma in Sweden and Finland, who have collaborated on personnel matters for a long time. In the interview, they particularly emphasize the importance of a dedicated management team.

We are each other’s work environment

How do you approach building a strong company culture?

Malin and Anna discuss how the focus on company culture has evolved over the years, noting that it has developed over time and is becoming increasingly important, also at global level.

“As HR only is a small team it becomes even more important to have a country manager who is committed to creating a strong company culture and prioritizing the wellbeing of colleagues,” says Anna.

Today, we see more overarching global company initiatives. Many of these initiatives were already identified and initiated locally. At Pfizer, the Swedish organization, is at the forefront.

Pfizer Sweden has always been entrepreneurial and innovation-driven with a familial atmosphere.

Both Malin and Anna feel that Pfizer has a highly inclusive culture, where people collectively shape the workplace. Employees’ wellbeing is crucial for a sustainable work life and a strong company culture, encompassing both mental and physical health. They agree that leadership is central, as it affects how employees feel, and as leaders, it’s important to create a sense of psychological safety across the organization. In addition, everyone is accountable – we are all leaders, no matter formal role.

As a guiding principle the company’s global values are at the core: Courage, Excellence, Equity and Joy.

How have you more concretely approached creating this culture?

Both Anna and Malin feel that it is important to involve all colleagues in various initiatives, emphasizing the importance of an inclusive mindset and being open to new ideas. They highlight Pfizer’s “Wellness strategy” as particularly successful.

Already in 2015 Pfizer in Sweden decided to prioritize wellness including mindfulness. Malin shares that she was initially sceptical about mindfulness. As a dedicated runner, she spontaneously thought, “Can you do it while running?”

The wellness strategy was shaped by a group of dedicated colleagues and is based on Healthy Mind Platter – Dr. Dan Siegel (drdansiegel.com) (more about mindfulness & the Harvard model in suggested readings). Pfizer provided several scientific training sessions and workshops related to neuroscience for employees. Malin and Anna explain that understanding the benefits of mindfulness led to implementing the practise in many different ways ranging from leadership team meetings, cross functional team sessions to large company meetings. “It’s so powerful when so many people sit in silence,” exclaims Malin.

Another important aspect on company success, in addition to colleague wellbeing, is to explore how to unleash the power of our people through new ways of working. Therefore, Pfizer made the decision in 2019-2020 to experiment with a concept called self-managing organizations. This means that everyone is a leader, with decentralized decision making and that all employees take responsibility in developing both the business and culture.

“I usually compare it to playing in a jazz band. Unlike an orchestra with a conductor, in a jazz band, you create music together and you let whoever has something going on take the lead; you jam together,” explains Malin.

Malin and Anna emphasize that it’s about supporting each other and encouraging people to take their own initiatives. At the same time, it’s important to have certain frameworks for an organization to function, but within that framework, there is freedom to create and inspire.

They believe it’s important to try to place the boundaries as far out as possible and to include employees when setting the framework. It’s a balance between providing direction and freedom. It is all built on trust.

“As a company, you want to encourage colleagues to grow and take ownership for their own development, and there should be time set aside for that,” says Anna.

They believe courage is crucial for an organization to develop a healthy and sustainable company culture. But that courage will only come if you have a high level of psychological safety. It’s the combination of courage and feeling safe that is fundamental in a self-managing organization. The employees should feel they can voice their opinion and also dare to speak up if something is unclear.

“We’ve been at Pfizer for many years and have learned what works and what doesn’t when it comes to inclusion. It’s not enough to say we have an open culture; you also need to create different forums, so-called safe spaces, where you feel you can have a candid conversation with your manager or someone else you trust,” explains Malin.

She adds, “You need to feel safe to take risks.”

How do you follow up to create sustainability in the workplace?

Anna and Malin mention that Pfizer Sweden sends out a pulse check every three weeks to all colleagues. This gives valuable input and captures the status of the psychosocial work environment and the “well-being in the company.”

“This pulse check is useful on individual, team and organizational level. The results are published at company level, and each team decides how to follow up and take action. It’s primarily a team tool, not a manager tool; we are each other’s work environment,” explains Anna.

The tool fosters a natural dialogue within teams, between managers and colleagues. Thanks to the pulse check, the company can also track important trends and tendencies. Anna and Malin say that it’s not about aiming for a perfect level but rather about identifying potential issues early to ensure a healthy culture.

Malin and Anna’s advice to those wanting to take the first steps towards a strong corporate culture:

• Ensure that all employees feel included.
• Prioritize psychological safety – create safe spaces.
• All employees should feel seen, heard, and cared for.
• Be joyful, friendly, and curious about each other; you are each other’s work environment.

“Being an amazing place to work is super important, both from a people- and business health perspective. For us it is important to constantly focus on the company culture and employer branding, to keep our fantastic colleagues and attract new talent,” concludes Malin.

How do you follow up to create sustainability in the workplace?

Malin Parkler has been with Pfizer for over 20 years, serving as Country Manager for Sweden for the past ten years. Additionally, she has been responsible for leading a global project on transforming the way Pfizer engages with healthcare. Prior experience also includes working as a pharmaceutical consultant, research at Karolinska Institute, focusing on cardiovascular diseases in children and adolescents. She holds a master in public health from Karolinska Institute, supplemented by studies in communications.

Brief about Anna Winlöf, People Experience Country Lead Pharma, Sweden, and Finland:

Anna Winlöf has been with Pfizer for 25 years. She is HR lead in Sweden since 2014 and Finland since 2018. Throughout her career, she has developed and implemented HR strategies, worked with change management, talent management and employee experience. Additionally, she has been identifying and exploring new ways of developing people and nurture a company culture that encourages employee engagement. Anna’s educational history lies within all areas of HR, management, law and communications.