How AbbVie ‘Catapults’ Career Development Using the 3-Track Path to talent success

The Catapult programme is unique in its ability to offer a flexible and customized approach to talent development

New Delhi, India- In the pharmaceutical industry, career development often follows a linear path, limiting options for employees seeking broader growth. Recognising this gap, AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, introduced the Catapult programme, a tailored initiative designed to offer employees opportunities beyond traditional trajectories, such as roles in marketing, business analytics, and sales training.

Tailored Career Tracks

The Catapult programme offers three distinct career tracks:

Leadership: Focuses on team leadership and strategic decision-making.
Marketing and Product Branding: For those interested in brand strategy and market growth.
Business Excellence: Caters to roles in sales training, analytics, and operational strategy.

This flexible structure enables employees to align their career choices with personal strengths, fostering growth and innovation within the organisation.

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Comprehensive Assessment

Catapult employs a multi-layered assessment framework to support these career tracks:

Aptitude Test: Measures current competencies.
Case-Study Presentation: Assesses both core and specialised skills.
Business Simulation: Tests decision-making, problem-solving, and collaboration in real-world scenarios.

“Each stage of this assessment focuses on key competencies, and the combined scores determine the gaps for each individual in their chosen career track,” explains Natasha Tiwary, country HR head, AbbVie India.

Customised Development Plans

A standout feature of the Catapult programme is its commitment to customised development plans. After the assessment, participants receive detailed reports outlining their strengths and areas for improvement, complemented by feedback from external assessors. This process leads to the creation of an individual development plan (IDP), which includes specific action items, timelines, and measurable goals. Regular feedback sessions and quarterly reviews ensure participants stay on track, enabling continuous learning and growth.

Balancing Technical and Soft Skills

Understanding the unique demands of the pharmaceutical industry, where both technical knowledge and soft skills are crucial, the Catapult programme incorporates a balanced development approach. It addresses both technical competencies, such as business acumen and analytical skills, and soft skills like leadership, communication, and customer-centric thinking.

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“While Catapult does not impart scientific knowledge, it does address behavioural learning, particularly leadership development, aligned with the company’s ‘Ways We Work’, a five-point charter outlining expected leadership behaviours,” asserts Tiwary. The programme follows a 70-20-10 learning model: 70 per cent of learning comes from on-the-job experiences, 20 per cent from mentoring and coaching, and 10 per cent from formal training.

Impact and Future Direction

Catapult has already shown significant success. “We’ve observed a significant level of cross-pollination of talent within the organisation. Around 43 per cent of participants in the programme over the last few years have transitioned into new roles, many of which are in different functions than their previous ones,” says Tiwary. This mobility indicates that Catapult is more than just a career-development tool; it is a catalyst for organisational agility.

Looking forward, AbbVie plans to diversify the Catapult programme beyond its current focus on commercial career paths. “Our goal is to integrate more functional expertise and talent from other areas, making the programme more functionally diverse,” concludes Tiwary.

AbbVie’s Catapult programme is redefining career development by offering a flexible, strategic framework for nurturing and retaining top talent. As the pharmaceutical industry evolves, AbbVie’s approach provides a compelling model for how companies can invest in their most valuable asset: their people.

Stay tuned, to PropleManager.co.in for further updates on the evolving workplace paradigm.

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