Sustaining innovation under pressure: Lessons from Tech and Pharma

A Shared Challenge

Tech and Pharma are innovation-driven industries where progress can’t slow down — yet pressure on talent is rising.

Insights from the Modern Families Index 2026 show growing risks around retention, burnout and productivity — even in organisations with strong cultures and flexibility. In skills-short sectors, losing just a handful of specialists can disrupt delivery and weaken competitive advantage.

This virtual think tank brings senior leaders together to explore what the data reveals — and how to sustain innovation while protecting performance and retaining scarce talent.

Drawing on Modern Families Index 2026 Sector Cuts for both Tech and Pharma, our discussion will explore:

• Why supportive cultures and flexibility are now expected — but no longer enough
• How care pressures are quietly affecting presence, productivity and progression
• Where retention risk is already visible in innovation-led sectors

With contrasting insights from:

• Tech: lower reported stress, but hidden productivity loss and lower confidence speaking up
• Pharma: stronger openness, but higher stress and greater perceived career impact

Together, these perspectives reveal where current approaches work — and where they start to break down under sustained pressure.

If retaining critical talent while sustaining innovation is on your agenda for 2026, this conversation is for you.