There’s almost nothing more important than employee engagement when it comes to your pharmacy. If your employees enjoy their job and enjoy working for you, they’ll provide better service to your patients and work more productively in general.
Here are six steps related to pharmacy management that can help you make your location a better place to work.
1. Be clear with your goals.
It’s a good idea to be on the same page with your employees regarding short term and long term goals. This way, you can all work in the same direction, towards the same finish line. If no one is clear on the goals and their timelines, then everyone will be working as an island - and that can get isolating and frustrating for staff.
It’s also a great help for your staff to provide ideas of their own. This way, reaching goals can be a collaborative effort.
2. Recognize staff efforts.
Recognition and rewards are key for engaged and productive employees. Everyone wants to feel appreciated, and your staff is no different. If all they hear are negative comments and criticism day in and day out, they’re not going to put their best foot forward for the company.
Recognition doesn’t have to be effusive every single time. It can be as much as extending thanks and noting a job well done. Shining a light on a specific staff member will also help boost morale.
3. Offer support.
You have to get to know your staff members and find out what their strengths and weaknesses are. When you get to know them, you’ll get an idea of what they enjoy doing at work, so you can better match them to a job they actually like. You can also provide opportunities to gain new skills through training programs.
4. Delegate.
Delegating is important because it gives you more time to focus on your own tasks, and it also gives your staff the opportunity to learn and grow by presenting them with new challenges and responsibilities.
5. Place emphasis on teamwork.
Teamwork is important in any job. But instead of forcing the concept on your staff, open up discussion and get input from them on ways that collaboration and cooperation can be emphasized in the workplace.
6. Be a true leader.
A good leader cares about their team and understands that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. It’s your job, as a leader, to provide resources and support to your team to make sure that they have what they need to do the best job possible.
Lead by example, demonstrate the behavior you want to see, and you will notice results in the effectiveness and confidence of your team.
