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Studies show that you spend about a third of your life in the workplace. In that spirit, it’s safe to say that your workplace is your home away from home. And your home can get a little stale, so you shake things up. Why not do the same for your pharmacy?
Pharmacy work can be hectic, where there’s no shortage of tasks to complete. But there might come a time when you feel like you’ve done it all in your pharmacy — so let’s shake things up.
The pharmacy industry thrives on adaptability and making new out of the old, and your workplace environment is no exception.
Here’s how you can revamp your pharmacy’s workplace.
Pharmacy work operates at a fast and efficient pace, where you have to focus on the task at hand. Consequently, it doesn’t leave you much time to be still and notice the internal aspects of the work.
Are you noticing a lack of enthusiasm among your team? Is the ambiance of your pharmacy feeling a bit dull? Maybe the workplace camaraderie (the real workplace MVP) isn’t what it used to be for some reason. Though the answer may not be clear, you know something’s up.
Identifying the symptoms of workplace staleness is the first step toward finding a remedy. Let’s examine some symptoms that lead to a fatigued workplace.
Communication is key, whether with your patients or your pharmacy staff. Your pharmacy staff is a team, a well-oiled machine that should take care of anything that comes its way.
One of the best ways to cultivate a positive pharmacy workplace is to have periodic work huddles. This gives you the chance to talk to your staff about your pharmacy’s goals, performance, and current morale.
Huddles can be a much-needed respite from the break-neck pace of everyday pharmacy work, allowing you and your staff to sit and assess the state of your small business. What’s more, huddles can bolster workplace camaraderie, increasing the enjoyment factor of pharmacy work.
Foster an environment of collaboration and idea-sharing through regular team huddles. Encourage your colleagues to contribute innovative ideas and solutions to common challenges. With the help of effective communication and collaboration, you can approach familiar problems with a renewed perspective.
Pharmacy work, despite its craziness, can become monotonous. Everyone becomes too comfortable with their roles, causing your efficiency to plateau and even atrophy. Break the monotony by rotating tasks among team members. This keeps everyone engaged and prevents burnout from repetitive tasks.
It might feel risky at first but will pay dividends in the long run. The tech who once only processed insurance claims can help with the drive-thru or quickly fill prescriptions with amazing attention to detail. That customer service aficionado will now know submission clarification codes like the back of their hand.
The more adaptable your staff is, the more consistent and efficient you all are in daily pharmacy work.
Your pharmacy staff, notably your technicians, can feel like they hit a ceiling. The next leap for tech is to become a pharmacist, but that requires at least eight years of school and (possibly) a mountain of debt. Depending on their stage in life, going to pharmacy school just isn’t in the cards.
So how do you promote career progress for your techs?
CEs (Continuing Education modules) are a great way to start. They’re also mandatory, so there’s that. Techs have to take a certain amount of CEs to renew their license, with many of the modules going over relevant issues surrounding the industry. We’re talking vaccine administration, clinical services, and the ever-changing world of inventory management.
Encourage your techs to take that new information in stride. New ideas can jumpstart new processes that transform your pharmacy workflow.
Workplace burnout is a very real element of pharmacy work. Monotony is creativity’s and innovation’s worst enemy, especially when you don’t have time to take a breather.
Encourage your staff to take routine breaks throughout the day. A good template to follow is to take a 15-minute break before and after your lunch break. This should give your staff time to rest, reset, and come back to work a little lighter.
Now let’s look at how they should spend their breaks. It’s a digital world, so your first impulse might be to reach for your phone and scroll through social media. In reality, the search for dopamine within that short time window can do more harm than good.
Scrolling through social media prevents your brain from resting, as the search for constant stimulation doesn’t let you properly rest. The result is a more restless work day and an expedited road to burnout.
Encourage your staff to take their breaks mindfully: open a book, write a brief journal entry, or just stare into space (yes, really). The mind is at its most free and creative when it’s not obligated to do anything. Give your staff time to properly reset before taking on the rest of the day — your patients and workflow will benefit because of it.
Speaking of your pharmacy’s workflow…
Your pharmacy software system shapes your workflow. It determines how your staff approaches certain tasks and it dictates your workflow’s efficiency.
Luckily, pharmacy systems like PioneerRx know that different workflow models need different solutions. Furthermore, those solutions need more modern methods as time goes on.
Learning about the ins and outs of your pharmacy software system is a tried and tested way to get rid of workplace fatigue. This can open more doors for creative problem solving, expediting familiar roles and tasks, and enhancing your patient’s health journeys.
PioneerRx provides numerous resources to make the most out of your investment. Visit PioneerRx University for full, comprehensive walkthroughs on its ever-growing list of features.
Need a more personal touch? Our Support Team is here to go into the weeds of pharmacy software to help you find a tailored solution for your pharmacy.
Don’t want to leave the PioneerRx website just yet? Our blog and podcast are full of content that can refresh your pharmacy’s workflow, whether technologically or holistically. Our “7 PioneerRx Features to Grow Your Pharmacy’s Profitability” blog is just one of many examples.
Workplace fatigue is a real thing. You might be feeling this as you read this blog in the middle of a work day. Make sure you recognize those early signs of workplace burnout, from less work camaraderie to a general sluggishness in productivity.
We’ve all been there, and you have actionable solutions to turn that workplace frown upside down. Encourage breaks, promote growth within your workplace, and go in-depth with your pharmacy software. The result will be a new and improved healthcare destination that can transform the health of your community.
