Why Your Pharmacy Staff Doesn’t Communicate with You

What do you think pharmacy staff polled across the country said about the common reasons they don’t bring their ideas to pharmacy management?

The top two so far are this:
1.  “They don’t understand the workflow”.
2.    Click here  for reason #2

Here are a few quick tips on what to do differently for both scenarios:

1.  “They don’t understand the workflow”:

As a pharmacy supervisor, spend some time on the line to understand how things work from the staff pharmacist’s perspective.  Not only will this help you stay in touch with what your staff experiences, but you will also benefit from being able to come up with even better ideas to run the pharmacy well.

Have you seen the TV show “Undercover Boss”? If you haven’t seen that show before, these CEOs of large companies like Frontier Airlines go and work undercover as an employee for a day, so they can experience what their staff experiences.  The CEO comes back with renewed appreciation for their staff and ideas they wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.  Now, you may not work at a place big enough to be an Undercover Boss, so you will have to blow your cover and just work on the line with everyone knowing you are the boss.

“Take this action” tip:  Don’t just sit in your office all day.  Your staff don’t get what you do in there, even if you do a lot.  Come out once in awhile, work with them, and show that you still understand what they’re going through.

Take the time to ask your employees what areas they think could run a little smoother to show that you are actively interested in improving things and listening to ideas.

2. “They say it’s a great idea, but nothing happens”.

The problem with this may be twofold: either you feel it’s a great idea, but it doesn’t get implemented (due to the timing or due to other circumstances that don’t allow it to happen). Or you really don’t think it’s a great idea, but you tell them it’s a great idea just to make them feel good in the moment (even though you well know you won’t be using their idea).

If you plan to implement it:

If you want to implement an idea, but can’t right away, let your pharmacy staff member know that it’s something you plan on doing in a specific time frame. Or, if you need to look into things more before making a decision, have another conversation with them to let them know an update on the feasibility of implementing their ideas.

If you like it, but don’t plan on implementing it:

If you like a pharmacist (or tech’s) idea but aren’t able to implement it at all, have a follow-up a conversation with them and acknowledge their idea again. Show your appreciation for them wanting to help improve things in the pharmacy. Tell them why their idea wasn’t used, and ask them for additional ideas. This shows that you paid attention and also encourages further input.

If you don’t like it, and don’t plan on implementing it:

Tell them the truth. Hear them out first and acknowledge their idea. Tell them why it’s not able to be implemented in the big picture of things. But that you appreciate their idea. Ask them if they have another idea about how something else could be better…or if they have an alternative idea that could be used.