Academia can be an exceptional career path but it can also be tough, especially for Early Career Researchers (ECRs). Having navigated the world of academia myself, I know first-hand what a difference it makes when departments and labs consciously create a supportive environment for ECRs and the damage done when they don’t.
Here are 15 actionable ways you can make your team a better, supportive, and more inspiring place for the next generation of researchers. Some are quick wins, others are going to require some work. All of them matter.
1. Invite ECRs to Give Seminar Talks (And Cover the Costs, Upfront)
ECRs need platforms to share their work and build their networks. Regularly invite them to present at seminar series. But don’t just offer them a slot; cover their travel (ideally up front!), accommodation, and, if possible, honoraria. Here’s a great example of how it can be done. Starting or changing your seminar format to one specifically for ECRs would be a huge boost and move us away from those same old boring conference talks.
2. Prioritise Dedicated Training Over Journal Clubs
Replace some traditional journal clubs with real training: data analysis workshops, grant writing bootcamps, public peer review sessions, presentation skill seminars, and meta-science discussions. ECRs are hungry for skills beyond technical lab work. Give them that and not only will your lab benefit from more rounded individuals but the ECRs will be better placed for alternative careers and academia.
3. Actively Encourage Collaboration
Encourage and facilitate collaborations within your lab, your department, and outside your institution. Networks are critical for scientific growth and career development.
Insular labs stagnate; collaborative ones thrive
4. Foster Public Speaking & Writing Opportunities
Push your ECRs to give talks (both academic and public-facing) and to write (opinion pieces, reviews, blogs, preLights, etc.). This builds their CVs and confidence, and opens up alternative career avenues. Make introductions, offer edits, and celebrate their successes.
5. Host Annual Career Development Days
Dedicate one full day each year to reviewing CVs, prepping for job or fellowship interviews, and working on grant applications together. Share your insider knowledge of funding opportunities, especially those small pots of money for independent ECR projects.
6. Relieve Unnecessary Pressure and Stand Up for ECRs
You may not be able to pay everyone more, but you absolutely can use your position to shield ECRs from unreasonable demands, departmental politics, or unnecessary admin. Don’t forget what it felt like at their career stage. Challenge institutional inertia on their behalf.
7. Treat ECRs as the Experts They Are
Most ECRs are postdocs or just a lucky break away from a permanent post themselves. Treat them as equals and experts, not just as helping hands. If you need reminding of what the postdoc experience can be, read more.
8. Listen—and Act—on What ECRs Say They Need
When ECRs say they need equipment, software, or support, believe them. Prioritise these needs and advocate for necessary resources. Their ability to thrive depends on it and so does your lab’s output.
9. Cover Upfront Costs Instead of Passing the Burden Down
Departments (not individuals) should absorb upfront costs, or you risk excluding those who can’t afford a financial hit. As a PI, advocate fiercely for this at department level. This isn’t just about bringing academia in line with normal businesses, it’s about equity and inclusion.
10. Make Your Space Safe and Inclusive, Always
Speak up against any abusive behaviours or toxic politics even if (especially if) it means calling out another PI. Silence protects abusers. ECRs should never have to navigate harassment, discrimination, or power games just to do their job.
11. Avoid Internal Competition and Value Individuality
Don’t pit ECRs against each other on the same projects. Take time to know each person’s goals and working style. Support those who want to stay in academia and those considering other paths, equally and openly. Avoid favouritism at all costs as it will slow progress, damage your labs culture and result in people leaving.
12. Design and Update Individual Training Plans
Every ECR deserves a clear, personalised training plan, reviewed annually. Training is more than just learning a technique, it’s about building independence, transferable skills, and professional confidence.
13. Take Leadership Courses Yourself
If you run a lab, commit to learning good management and leadership! Consider formal courses in leadership and people management (this should really be mandatory for all PIs and provided by institutions). You can’t know what you were never taught; investing in yourself helps your team too. We’re developing such courses so keep your eye out.
14. Preprint Your Lab’s Papers
Timely outputs are critical for ECRs applying for jobs, fellowships, and grants. Preprints can make all the difference, saving 6+ months. Make preprinting your default and encourage your team to get their work out there when it’s ready.
15. Model Integrity and Open Science
Lead by example: be transparent in your research, foster a culture of sharing, and have regular discussions about research integrity and communication. How you behave sets the standards for those you train and the next generation of PIs.
Bonus: Small Changes Really Do Matter
It’s easy to think that improving life for ECRs in your lab or department can’t change the system. It absolutely can. For those ECRs in a genuinely good environment, it’s transformative and your example sets new expectations for others. Change is slow, but it always starts somewhere.
If you’re a PI, lab head, or department leader, you might already be doing some of these things. If not, now’s the time to start. It matters more than you might realise for your ECRs, your science, and the future of academia.
If you found these suggestions useful, please share, and let’s build a better, kinder academic world together.
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