Lab Manager Magazine®

About Alan Edwards

Alan Edwards is senior director and product leader of Kelly Services’ Americas Products Group – Science. Kelly Services, Inc., a leader in providing workforce solutions, is headquartered in Troy, Michigan. For more information, visit www.kellyservices.com. Alan can also be followed on LinkedIn.

Articles Authored by Alan Edwards

Global R&D Demands Effective Communication

Published: July 6 2012

Over the course of my career in the sciences, I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the power of long-distance collaboration. For one research and development project, work was done in San Diego, California; Madison, Wisconsin; France;

Science Matters: Getting the Project Method Right

Published: June 6 2012

Business has changed across virtually every industry in this post-recession era. Companies must simply do more with less, and this is especially true in the sciences where, among many other factors, the expiration of valuable drug patents and the

Information Technology and Your Workforce

Published: May 9 2012

From a utilitarian standpoint, it was inevitable that technology would redefine the processes of the modern lab. It began with the need to automate as suppliers realized they could help labs significantly improve their products by taking

A New Approach To How You Hire

Published: April 6 2012

Many job seekers still know how hard it is to get hired. There’s no doubt that certain worker populations continue to feel the pressures and competition of finding employment. Nearly every global industry, after all, continues to evaluate

Are You Helping or Hurting Employee Morale?

Published: March 5 2012

Last year I wrote a column about how “soft skills” are required to succeed in virtually every business today. Even in the sciences, a career path that has traditionally allowed insular personalities to thrive, soft skills are more important

It's a Core vs. Transactional Thing

Published: January 20 2012

As the prospect of personalized medicine transitions from concept to reality and begins to truly impact the pharmaceutical industry, almost everyone who works in the sciences could be affected. After all, it could be argued that personalized medi

Adapting to Scientific Mobility

Published: December 9 2011

This column over the last year has dealt with many lab-related workforce issues, but one constant running through them has been the need for versatilability™—not just when it comes to the people managers hire, but in every aspect of a lab

Free Agency

Published: December 5 2011

It’s a common refrain heard within nearly every business circle today, but only because it’s true: The world of work has changed. Nowhere is this more evident than in the use of contingent workers, or “free agents,” across

Science Matters: Making the Good Hire

Published: November 4 2011

In the new job landscape, I’m afraid we might be leaving hiring managers in the dust. After all, as the job market continues to evolve, those looking for work need as much direction as possible— and career experts know this. How d

Science Matters: The Sciences Require "Soft Skills" Too

Published: October 7 2011

We all know that scientists who pursue advanced degrees like a Ph.D. are smart. They are driven. And they are no doubt passionate about their work. But can they cut it in the real world? Recent national media reports that debate the value of adva

Using Project Management Principals to Motivate

Published: September 9 2011

I wrote here several months ago that managers have the power to dramatically improve a lab’s bottom line by embracing new ways of doing things. I told the story of how one of the biggest game changers in the industry— the automation of manual p

Networking in Today’s Scientific Workplace

Published: July 15 2011

We all know the form of classic networking, and people in sales or supply chain management pioneered it for business purposes. It’s where they meet casually with colleagues. Maybe the individuals involved don’t work for the same company.

How the Younger Manager Gets It Right

Published: June 7 2011

No matter how old or young workers may be, certain management principles are usually effective: make them accountable for their work, treat them with respect, and say thank you. These principles have value whether you work at a large corporation or i

Invest in Skill Building and Watch Potential Grow

Published: May 9 2011

Know where the safety equipment is. Don’t eat or drink on the job. Wear the right clothes. And please don’t casually pour chemicals down the drain. Such precautions may sound elementary, but these important and fundamental lab safety

Better Technology, Better Life?

Published: April 6 2011

Nanotechnology is still early in its commercial development, but many scientists agree it could become a part of everyone’s daily life in the not-too-distant future. In one example of how it could affect the way the scientific industry operates

Science Matters: Decide to be Different

Published: February 18 2011

Many lab scientists remember what it was like to work “on the bench.” The term referred to the standard practice of manual processes or methods. No matter what services a particular lab offered, you could bet the work was all done by hand

Science Matters: Survey Reveals Employee Satisfaction Criteria

Published: October 7 2010

Latest trends shaping the scientific workforce.

Salary and Job Satisfaction by Region

Published: October 7 2010

U.S. science professionals desire more recognition and training.

Science Matters: Recruiting Top Scientific Talent

Published: September 9 2010

Staffing companies are able to recruit scientists with detailed skill sets and established career goals within the scientific community for a specific position.