Employee engagement and mobility drives better patient outcomes

 
As we approach the end of this year – one that has challenged many of us to adapt to the realities of “living at work,” I have been reflecting on our work at UCB and the strength that comes from never losing sight of people – specifically the patients we serve and the people we work with who drive our mission forward.

The global trials of 2020 came as UCB was embarking on new challenges of its own – evolving our quest to answer the needs of the many unheard voices in the rare disease space. And for me, all of this came with more personal changes as I transitioned into a new function at the company in market access.

When I started at UCB four years ago, I was struck by how tangible the drive to achieve success is for the patients we serve across the organization. Just as remarkable is how much UCB supports individual employees in their career pursuits. I find purpose in working for a company that supports employees’ ambitions and passions, while keeping patients’ needs at the forefront. I’ve experienced this first-hand with my own move from policy into market access, combined with a two-year assignment in the UCB Strategic Plan team. UCB has supported my own ambitions to explore new roles outside of my areas of expertise because they know that encouraging people to pursue their passions at work makes for a stronger company.  

In a year where each of us has rediscovered the need to adapt, to take stock of our health and wellness and support each other, working directly with rare disease communities is a reminder that these patients have lived with health concerns for far longer as they manage their unique and varied needs. According to the NIH, there are 7,000 known rare diseases and only 5% of them have treatment options. While each individual patient community in a rare disease might be smaller, the need for safe and effective treatments is immense, and we are driven to help fill in those gaps. UCB has the potential to make a tangible difference.

UCB is determined to take its commitment to patients a step further through its sustainability initiative, pioneered last year, which promotes health equity, ensuring that every patient that needs a UCB medicine, has access to it in a viable, sustainable way. As we move our rare disease work forward, I have been heartened to see so many of my colleagues rise to – and exceed – the challenges of this moment.

Even as we are physically apart, I’m so grateful to be in a supportive environment and surrounded by passionate teammates, who value patient-centric innovation and who are committed to providing solutions that optimize the care pathway for patients. With 2020 nearly in the rear view, I can say with certainty, that it is our commitment to putting people first that has enabled us to not only weather the uncertainties of this year, but has helped us thrive, grow and come out stronger.

Those living with rare diseases often feel forgotten, misheard or misunderstood. There is an incredible opportunity for passionate, entrepreneurial people to contribute to writing UCB’s next chapter by delivering impactful solutions for rare disease patients. If you’re interested in committing yourself to aiding those in need, while feeling supported by a company that shares your values and supports your ambitions, I welcome you to join something rare and be part of the experience, by exploring our opportunities, here.