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How an FSP Model Can Ensure Business Continuity During a Business Disruption
Explore FSP rebadging to address staffing challenges amid business disruptions in a way that mutually benefits both your business and your employees.
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Under the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, drug development organizations faced difficult decisions about keeping staff employed and productive. Even beyond the pandemic, companies are navigating new economic, political and operational challenges and increased global demand that threaten to disrupt business operations. Utilization concerns cast shadows of uncertainty, and emergent situations across your programs demand expert guidance and real-time problem-solving to maintain patient safety, study integrity and business continuity.
Benefits of Rebadging Under an FSP Model in Clinical Research
A functional service partnership (FSP) model in clinical research can help sponsors navigate unforeseen staffing challenges.
Rather than bringing in a whole new team, retaining your current staff is preferred – not only for the benefit of their experience and training, but also out of dedication to treating them right. Read on to learn more about rebadging as a valuable solution under an FSP model in clinical research, and what to look for in a partner.
What is rebadging in an FSP model?
Rebadge staffing is a critical part of an FSP model in clinical research. Rebadging refers to the practice of transferring and rehiring staff from the sponsor to the FSP. This model offers immediate staff engagement with an assurance of secured employment. Instead of being dismissed, employees would be offered new positions with the FSP provider, like the PPD clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific. Rebadged employees can then be contracted to continue in the same roles on the same ongoing programs. Those without current assignments will find new projects in their new roles.
What is the value of rebadging to the sponsor?
Rebadging as part of an FSP model in clinical research offers numerous benefits, including business continuity, flexibility and potential cost savings. Transferring qualified employees is much easier and more economical than the typical recruitment and new hire process. It’s an effective way to manage capacity and labor uncertainty and provides drug developers the option to retain knowledgeable, proven personnel. Through rebadging, sponsors can maintain continuity on key development programs while avoiding costly severance packages and payouts.
For sponsors with employees in Europe or Latin America, outsourcing arrangements must comply with applicable Acquired Rights Directive (ARD) regulations, stipulating employees’ rights to retain their jobs when work is transferred to another company. A well-managed rebadging model represents an ideal pathway to full ARD compliance.
For example, the PPD staff transfer team members are experts in Acquired Rights Directive (ARD) laws and regulations and adept at transferring staff to give our customers more flexibility and right-size workforces. With transfer success rates near 90%, staff experience little or no downtime as they’re assured secure employment — either as a contractor or in new PPD positions — with no negative impact on programs. Through rebadging, our customers benefit from shifting swaths of human resource expenses from fixed to variable, with no loss of stability as tried-and-true staff.
Above all, rebadging shows goodwill to departing employees and makes the best of an unfortunate scenario, minimizing the risk of reputational harm spread by negative word of mouth in professional circles and job search forums.
What is the value of rebadging to the employee?
Using an FSP model in clinical research benefits employees, as well. Staff members appreciate the opportunity for continued employment and income security. For many employees, the rebadging transition presents minimal disruption as they resume the same tasks on familiar projects.
Choosing the Right FSP Rebadging Partner
- Experience: Rebadging can be an attractive win-win proposition, but implementation can be tricky. Look for an FSP partner with deep knowledge in handling all aspects of each staffing transfer properly and compliantly to best navigate significant regulatory challenges and legal quandaries, especially in countries with ARD regulations. The PPD FSP solutions teams are experts at this and are well-versed in both ARD and non-ARD rebadging models and best practices.
- A dedicated team: Confirm that your FSP partner has an explicit focus on change management and business continuity, which is especially vital when transferring staff. Some FSPs may not have a specialized team for this. Staff transfer is a major process that must be expertly handled by a project manager who coordinates interactions between human resources, legal and the employees.
- Scale: Look for an FSP partner that is growing and has plentiful business aside from your own work. This assures that they can readily absorb your employees and promote a positive outcome for everyone involved.
In the ever-changing global environment, rebadging under an FSP model in clinical research can help you manage significant transitions while continuing high-quality service. Trust PPD FSP solutions to help you explore your rebadging options. We ensure your projects launch on time and stay on budget thanks to our hard-to-find, top-tier staff who bring a customer-first mindset to your clinical development project. With our expertise, we’ll help you calibrate your capacity and ramp up quickly across any function and service, including clinical operations, pharmacovigilance and project management, for both clinical and marketed products.