were anonymous, all questions were optional, and the data were collected with convenience sampling. The data showed a slight drop in those intending to leave within four years, from 42 % in 2022 to 38.6 % in 2024. Short-term retention has improved, with fewer respondents planning to leave the laboratory within one year, but the three-to four-year range for departure remains steady.
More telling in this figure is the fact that of those that do plan to depart in the next two years, 16 % are planning to retire, thus leaving the public health laboratory workforce altogether. Victor Waddell, PhD, chief for the Arizona Bureau of State Laboratory Services, has closely followed trends in career metrics since he joined the laboratory as a scientist in the Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats( LRN-B) laboratory in 2001.
“ We work very closely with our HR department and the Arizona Department of Health to follow data and trends for our workforce,” he says.“ If there are any areas that are showing a higher turnover, we act quickly to investigate those reasons.” After becoming laboratory director in 2014, Waddell started focusing on developing career path programs within the laboratory. In 2018, the program became a reality, enabling early and mid-year career laboratorians to have an avenue to promotion as well as cross training in areas of interest. Even though the focus is ensuring that the laboratory’ s operational mandates are fulfilled, it also gives laboratorians a concrete progression for their careers.
“ If a position opens up for a Scientist II and there is a Scientist I who has satisfied the career track requirements, they have the opportunity to apply for the position non-competitively,” Waddell said.“ If there is an opportunity to promote from within, we are very interested in taking it.”
For individuals being recruited to join a laboratory, the top three most important factors they consider are job security, work / life balance and benefits. For those deciding whether to remain at their laboratory, the top three factors are work /
Giving scientists not only the opportunity to try different directions as they are starting their careers, but to work on projects that they are professionally invested in is a sure way to build their enthusiasm in a public health laboratory career.”
Victor Waddell, PhD, chief for the Arizona Bureau of State Laboratory
Services
life balance, job security and a safe / secure work environment. While balance and security are important in both stages, benefits play a bigger role in recruitment and retention.
In addition to annual, sick and vacation leave, newer perks for laboratorians may include flexible work schedules, mental health resources in addition to standard health benefits, and additional wellness benefits that were not available even five years ago.
In Vermont, the agriculture and environmental laboratory is almost in the geographic heart of the state and is adjacent to a small local university. While there are a few laboratorians who live 5 – 10 miles away, other staff are commuting 30 – 120 miles round trip. So, in addition to the distance, there is also the isolation of the physical location which could be an impediment to retention. But Achilles is aware of how invested her colleagues are in the mission of the laboratory.
“ People are in the laboratory because they want to be there,” she said.“ And as a leader, it is my responsibility to listen to my people when they have an issue, idea or suggestion. We will never be able to compete with private laboratories as far as income or cost
of living adjustments, so we have to meet our colleagues where they are and provide what we can.”
The Importance of Mentors
Every laboratorian at some point in their career was just starting out at the bench, looking at their first agar plate, loading their first molecular diagnostic test into an instrument, visiting a site to do soil testing, or pulling a water sample from a private well. Even if it was 10-20 years ago, relating those experiences inside and outside the laboratory to new and rising laboratorians is integral to career growth.
“ Our members and colleagues have more formal career resources available to them than ever,” said APHL Chief Learning Officer Christine Bean, PhD, MBA, MLS( ASCP), who also served as director of the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratory.“ But those early career stories passed down from mentor to fellow, from supervisor to bench scientist, even from a legacy director to a new director, are really important.” Having fellows and interns in the laboratory, even for a temporary assignment can not only lift some of the programmatic burden from FTEs, but it can also reinvigorate their love of public health through teaching and mentoring.
“ By continuing to develop public health laboratory staff starting with the Fellowship and Internship programs all the way up
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Summer 2025 LAB MATTERS 23