by Sumali Akurassa Hewage, Miranda St. Fleur, Shaila Kotadia, and Research Staff Community of Support Steering Committee at Stanford School of Medicine
Victorpr/Shutterstock
Research professionals in the life sciences and on clinical research teams, known as research staff, are vital to advancing scientific knowledge and innovation within research organizations, including academic medical centers. With highly specialized expertise, their various technical roles — managing lab protocols, processing patient samples, and conducting experiments — ensure that research operations run successfully. Although critical to innovation, the professional needs of research staff can be misunderstood by the institutions that employ them. As a result, many professional training and support programs focus too much on technical skills or operational challenges and neglect other important aspects of professional growth and well-being.
Research staff are assets to research organizations. The current threats to reduce funding for medical research, including indirect costs, will affect the research enterprise in numerous ways, including sustaining research staffing. Organizations risk losing highly skilled and specialized research staff as job security becomes uncertain. In a career path with high turnover and limited mobility, this impact could disrupt scientific discovery and innovation.
So, how can organizations invest in understanding their research staff’s evolving needs while navigating uncertainty? To address this, we launched a research staff community of support at Stanford School of Medicine to create a space where research staff could network, share concerns, and access key resources.
Similar to a community of practice and other organizational community programs, the community of support is an institutional structure that brings together employees with a shared professional experience to foster professional development, a sense of belonging, and well-being in the workplace. Through data-driven approaches and thoughtful reflection and planning, adopting these steps can be a strong investment in research staff.
Understand the Needs of Research Staff
Research staff’s needs beyond technical training can be poorly understood. Do they feel isolated? How do they navigate career growth? Where do they find mentorship? How can they have a voice in institutional decisions that impact them?
A needs assessment of research staff’s workplace experiences was conducted by one of our human resources staff members. Of 111 survey participants, respondents were unclear about the resources available for research staff (66%) and had little to no protected time outside their primary professional duties (59%). They sought career advancement opportunities (70%), professional development opportunities (59%), and networking with colleagues outside the department (40%). In addition to building connections, respondents also highlighted well-being-related topics: over 50% identified the need to build trust and compassion in research cultures and inclusive spaces in research environments.
As individuals who have worked in research environments, including current and former research staff, we offer strategies and practices to holistically support research staff based on these survey results.
Build a Community of Support
The research staff community of support uses a collective impact framework to promote collaboration and co-create a shared vision. This effort is led by a steering committee, which includes a human resources staff member (who provides backbone support) in partnership with research staff. We believe that including research staff’s lived experiences has the power to shape their work environment by creating spaces where their voices are amplified. In our steering committee, leadership roles rotate, responsibilities are shared, and diverse perspectives drive decision-making, including quarterly sessions with the broader research staff community.
Our sessions provided research staff with opportunities to learn from experienced professionals who guide career progression and skill-building. Participants also had the opportunity to build community and networks to support their goals. Instead of feeling stuck, research staff now have access to opportunities to explore their careers.
At the end of our pilot, we surveyed participants, and they felt more connected to other research staff and better informed about career resources. They shared that the research staff community of support was a unique collective because it provided “unity across research divisions.” They also appreciated having a structured space to voice concerns and develop solutions to complex workplace issues unique to their roles, emphasizing the opportunity to be strategic.
Strengthen Institutional Partnerships
We are committed to a long-term approach that ensures our efforts lead to meaningful structural changes. By fostering continuous dialogue and enhancing institutional relationships, we seek to create opportunities that support professional growth and community. Ultimately, enhancing research staff’s workplace experience could lead to reduced turnover rates and improved retention. We aim to establish a foundation that benefits future generations of research staff.
Research staff are essential to driving innovation. Institutions can recognize and support them in impactful ways. Research communities of support must maintain direct connections with research staff, creating a feedback loop that allows continuous learning from their experiences. This partnership — “us together” — creates a nurturing environment where leadership and staff collaborate toward shared institutional goals.
When research staff feel heard and valued, institutions thrive. This approach fosters a win-win: staff receive the support they need, while leadership benefits from a more engaged and motivated workforce. Together, we can leverage expertise to find innovative solutions during uncertainty. These collective actions can build a compelling case for the importance of research staff communities in the years to come.
