Background – Why Time Is the Most Valuable Asset at Astrazeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with approximately 90,000 employees and operations across 125+ countries.
AstraZeneca’s goal is bold: to launch 20 new medicines by 2030, particularly targeting rare diseases and areas of high unmet needs.
“Given the boldness of our ambition, IT and the use of technology are critical to achieving these results,” “At AstraZeneca, Every Minute Matters, because it’s crucial that we get lifesaving medicines to patients as quickly as possible.
says Cindy Hoots, Chief Digital Officer and CIO at AstraZeneca.
The Challenge – Manual Workflows Slowing Down Innovation
Researchers, scientists, and support teams were spending significant time on routine tasks such as ordering lab supplies, onboarding new hires, or handling administrative workflows. For example:
- Ordering essential lab supplies (e.g., test tubes) was done by writing orders in notebooks, which took approximately 30 minutes per request.
- Onboarding managers were spending over 50 hours per new hire on transactional elements rather than strategic or scientific work.
- With thousands of requests flowing across categories, a lack of an integrated system meant poor visibility, slow fulfilment, and fragmented data.
In short, operational overhead and fragmented processes were reducing the time available for what matters most – science, research, and delivering new medicines.
The Vision and Goal – Free Up Time, Accelerate Science
AstraZeneca envisioned a digital transformation that would remove friction, unify workflows, and allow teams to focus time and energy on core innovation. Key facets of the vision included:
- Automate repetitive, manual tasks so that staff can focus on higher-value activities.
- Deliver a user-friendly, intuitive experience for employees, so that the technology becomes invisible and only the output matters.
- Create measurable, cumulative time savings: small per-task reductions add up at scale.
- Apply automation and AI across labs, onboarding, supply ordering and broader operations.
Solution Overview – Platformising Work with ServiceNow
AstraZeneca selected ServiceNow as the backbone for digital workflow transformation. The core elements included:
- Deployment of ServiceNow’s AI-enabled platform to automate and digitize workflows that used to be manual.
- Creation of a unified employee portal (“AskAZ”) where employees access services, request supplies, and get onboarding support, all in one place.
- Implementation of an automated supply selection and ordering system: scientists pick from approved items, and orders are now complete in seconds instead of 20-30 minutes.
- Digitization of about 60,000 lab requests annually across 400+ categories flowing through the ServiceNow platform.
- Design of Onboarding 2.0 for new hires, personalized portals for new employees, and streamlined manager tasks, with projected savings of more than 90,000 hours.
Key Features & How They Work
Automated Lab Supply Workflow
Manual orders converted into digital tasks: scientists select pre-approved items, submit via portal, automatic routing, and fulfillment. Result: orders that took 30 minutes now finish in seconds.
Unified Employee Portal – AskAZ
One access point for services across labs, HR, and operations. Intuitive UI, consistent experience, and less training required.
Onboarding 2.0
Personalized experience for each hire—automated checklists, aligned tasks, integration of HR and IT workflows. Manager hours drop dramatically.
Analytics & Visibility
With workflows running on one platform, managers gain insight into volumes, bottlenecks, inventory status, and usage patterns; enabling better decisions.
| Feature | Description | Primary Benefit |
| Automated Lab Requests | Digital process replaces handwritten orders; smart routing sends tasks to the right suppliers. | Saves 30 minutes per request; prevents errors. |
| AskAZ Portal | Central employee portal for all internal services. | One interface for HR, IT, and lab support—no confusion or delays. |
| Onboarding 2.0 | Personalized experience with automated checklists and integrated workflows. | 90,000+ hours saved in manager time. |
| Workflow Analytics | Unified dashboards showing request volumes, trends, and completion rates. | Better decision-making and transparency. |
| Scalable Architecture | Reusable workflow templates for other departments. | Accelerates future automation projects. |
Implementation Approach – How Transformation Was Delivered
- The project aligned digital, IT, HR and operations teams around shared goals (time saving, efficiency).
- ServiceNow implementation followed a user-centric design: teams “shadowed” scientists and researchers to understand how they worked and what slowed them down.
- The rollout began with high-impact workflows (such as lab supply ordering) to build momentum and showcase results quickly.
- Scalability was built into the architecture: once one workflow succeeded, the platform model became reusable across other functions (onboarding, HR, procurement).
- Governance and change management were embedded: training, communication, and UX design were all prioritized to ensure adoption.
Results & Impact – Time Freed, Efficiency Gained
- More than 60,000 laboratory requests now flow through the ServiceNow platform annually, covering 400+ categories.
- An estimated 30,000 hours are saved annually in ordering workflows alone.
- Projected 90,000 hours saved for managers in onboarding via Onboarding 2.0.
- Significant reduction in per-task time: processes that used to take half an hour now take seconds.
- Improved employee experience, faster time to value, and better alignment of administrative tasks to core mission.
- Enhanced visibility and data-driven decision making: managers can now track volumes, inventory, workflows and usage patterns in real time.
| Area | Before Automation | After ServiceNow Implementation | Measured Impact |
| Lab Supply Ordering | Manual, handwritten requests took 30 minutes | Automated digital ordering completed in seconds | 30,000+ hours saved annually |
| Onboarding Process | 50+ hours of manager time per hire | Fully automated workflows and personalized onboarding | 90,000+ hours saved annually |
| Lab Workflow Volume | Limited digital tracking | 60,000+ requests automated yearly across 400+ categories | Increased productivity and traceability |
| Employee Experience | Fragmented tools and inconsistent interfaces | Single AskAZ portal for all requests | Simpler, faster, unified access |
| Decision-Making | Low visibility into operations | Real-time workflow insights and analytics | Data-driven decisions and better planning |
ServiceNow Product Used By AstraZeneca
- App Engine
- Automation Engine
- Customer Service Management
- HR Service Delivery
- IT Operations Management
- IT Service Management
- Now Assist
- Risk Management
- ServiceNow Impact
- Strategic Portfolio Management
- Workplace Service Delivery
Why It Matters – Linking Efficiency to Life-Saving Outcomes
By freeing up hours previously spent on ordering supplies, onboarding, or handling admin, scientists and researchers at AstraZeneca spend more time on what matters: discovery, experimentation and launching new medicines. With the goal of 20 new medicines by 2030, efficiency is no longer just a cost metric, it becomes mission-critical. The partnership with ServiceNow underpins the organization’s use of digital transformation not just for operations but also for life-saving innovation.
Implementation Lessons – What Others Can Learn From AstraZeneca
- Target workflows with high frequency and high manual overhead: small gains scale quickly.
- Build solutions with the end-user in mind: researchers, scientists, and new hires should feel valued from day one.
- Use a single platform as a foundation: reuse workflows across functions rather than building islands.
- Measure time saved, not just cost reduced: time becomes a powerful metric for mission-driven organizations.
- Ensure governance, UX and change management are embedded from the start – technology alone isn’t enough.
Conclusion – Digital Backbone Drives Mission Success with ServiceNow Implementation Service
AstraZeneca’s decision to adopt and scale ServiceNow across workflows shows how digital platforms can accelerate mission-critical outcomes. By replacing manual processes, the organisation freed up tens of thousands of hours annually; time now devoted to science, research and patient outcomes. The partnership highlights how ServiceNow Implementation Service plays a strategic role when an organisation moves from fragmented systems to a unified, efficient platform. For companies in life sciences, this story demonstrates how workflow automation isn’t just an operational improvement; it can become a competitive advantage, enabling faster innovation, better employee experience and ultimately greater impact for patients.
