EVERY RESIGNATION HAS A COST. EVERY RETAINED EMPLOYEE CREATES VALUE.
Recently, I came across an industry report estimating 20-30% annual field-force attrition in the Indian pharmaceutical sector.
At first, it was just another statistic. Then I remembered something I witnessed many times while working in a hospital.
I often saw Medical Representatives waiting outside doctors’ cabins for hours. Sometimes they got a few minutes. Sometimes they returned without meeting the doctor. I completely understand that doctors have demanding schedules, and patient care must always come first. This post is not about blaming doctors.
It’s about asking a simple question:
Can we be busy and still be kind? Every day, Medical Representatives travel across cities, visit pharmacies, distributors, hospitals, and clinics, work through traffic, extreme weather, and long hours, all while carrying the pressure of targets and expectations. Yet they continue to show up with professionalism and patience. What stayed with me wasn’t the waiting itself. It was how invisible they often seemed.
A simple “Please have a seat,” “Would you like some water?” or “I’m occupied at the moment, could you please come back at 4 PM?” takes only a few seconds, but it acknowledges that someone’s time and effort matter. I’ve had the privilege of working with many doctors who are humble, respectful, and deeply appreciative of every healthcare professional around them. So this isn’t about one profession versus another. It’s about remembering that every person who contributes to patient care deserves dignity. When we discuss retention, we usually focus on salaries, incentives, and career growth. Those matter.
But respect matters too. No one leaves a profession because of one difficult day. People leave when difficult days become their everyday experience. Behind every Medical Representative is not just a sales target. There is a person with responsibilities, ambitions, a family waiting at home, and the same desire for respect that all of us have. If we want to retain good people, let’s start by valuing the people we already have.
Because every resignation is more than a vacant position. It is the loss of experience, trust, relationships, and years of field knowledge. Maybe the question isn’t just how we reduce attrition.
Maybe the question is: What kind of workplace experience are we creating for the people who keep our healthcare system moving? Source: Express Pharma reports that field-force attrition in the Indian pharmaceutical industry is estimated at 20-30% annually.
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