Staffing problems in retail pharmacy

[Pharmanaut]

That's the way to get staff who do the minimum and bottle up any problems. They will be looking for a new job and will leave without a thought when anything else comes up. They will lack sparkle and initative. It may appear to be effective managment (in the short term) but will never be good managment.

Agreed.
Best way is to ask people what they think is the best way to do something.
Then you get them to engage their brain and come up with ideas.
Get lots of ideas flying around - it creates a buzz.
Head office people take note : let some improvement activity come from the ground up.
And reward staff for the best suggestions!
...a paid day off extra would be a good prize!

[BrianA]

It is the whole package that counts
Mutual respect
Don't take people for granted
Value your staff
It's easier and costs less to retain good staff than it is to find new good staff
Praise and reward good work - if earnings increase significantly reward your staff for helping bring about your good fortune
Train and mentor
Identify problem staff and if they cannot change for the better with your help, dismiss them (legally)
Work as a team
Fair salary and other terms and conditions
Treat your employees how you would want to be treated if you were the employee

[gmorris291]

It is the whole package that counts
Mutual respect
Don't take people for granted
Value your staff
It's easier and costs less to retain good staff than it is to find new good staff
Praise and reward good work - if earnings increase significantly reward your staff for helping bring about your good fortune
Train and mentor
Identify problem staff and if they cannot change for the better with your help, dismiss them (legally)
Work as a team
Fair salary and other terms and conditions
Treat your employees how you would want to be treated if you were the employee

I could not agree with these statements more. Thank God I'm retired. I often said that I spend more waking hours with my staff than I do with my family. For that reason, I felt it essential to create an atmosphere where staff enjoyed their working hours. We mostly all have to work for a living, so attempt to make the best of these hours.

When I read a statement "One of my superiors often says to disgruntled staff "If you don't like it, then why are you here?". Now at first i thought this was a rather reckless tactic but the funny thing is it works. I think this is due to the current employment climate, jobs are scarce, if you suggest to someone they may be better off elsewhere, then they'll come around. Most likely becasue they need a job and are affraid they will not find a new one" it makes me wonder exactly what the world is coming to. If you treat staff in this way, instead of attempting to solve their issues, the business will eventually suffer.

Here was my approach. I paid well and expected my staff to support the business. There was no job in the pharmacy I would not attempt to do if I had the time available. This heirarchy of "I'm too important to do that task" did not exist. Each and every member of staff were expected to "muck in " to keep the business running smoothly. If a member of staff was quiet or upset, I would ask them what was troubling them. If it was a problem within the business environment, it would be tackled. If it were a problem at home, I would do my best to support them if I felt it was necessary. As an incentive, after a certain number of scripts were dispensed each month, I gave each of my staff a bonus per item above that threshold. At the end of each month, they then received a healthy bonus. At Christmas, I gave them an extra weeks pay. I still believe that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. I allowed them to make all their own holiday arrangements, with the proviso that I always had enough feet in the business to run it smoothly. I was never let down by this method. If someone was ill, other members of staff would cover them at the drop of a hat.

The staff knew that the more successful the business was, the more they were rewarded. If we were extremely busy, they were delighted as they were benefitting from the business too. I kept my staff for years, the only reasons for leaving were retirement, pregnancy (I was not involved there!) or moving away because their spouse had a job elsewhere.

Staff are the most valuable assett of a business, look after them.

Yes, I could have "squeezed" more profit from the business, But would I have been happier? I very much doubt it.