Intentional Culture · Biotechnology · Northern California
Culture Transformation: A Biotech Cuts Regrettable Attrition From 24% to 9%
“After the IPO, the science was winning and the culture was losing.”
The challenge
A venture-backed Bay Area biotech scaled from 400 to 1,400 people in 19 months after going public. Two tribes formed — bench scientists and commercial hires — speaking different languages and trusting no one across the line. Regrettable attrition among senior researchers hit 24%, and the board began asking whether the culture could survive its own success.
Our approach
We ran a full culture assessment, then built a leader-led culture change strategy: a 90-day change-leadership cohort that put 112 managers through one shared operating model and a common language for how this company decides.
Results beyond the numbers
- Trust rebuilt between R&D and commercial teams
- Board confidence in the post-IPO culture restored
- One shared decision language across 112 managers
“We stopped losing the people we spent years recruiting. The culture finally caught up to the science.”— Chief People Officer
Frequently asked questions
What challenge did the client face?
A venture-backed Bay Area biotech scaled from 400 to 1,400 people in 19 months after going public. Two tribes formed — bench scientists and commercial hires — speaking different languages and trusting no one across the line. Regrettable attrition among senior researchers hit 24%, and the board began asking whether the culture could survive its own success.
What results did NextGen People deliver?
Key outcomes included: 24% → 9% — regrettable attrition among senior scientists, cut in under a year, $18M — replacement and ramp-up cost avoided by keeping critical talent, +31 pts — employee engagement — the largest single-year jump in company history.
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