Misunderstood Expectations, to a Pharmacy Everyone Wants to Work For
One of the main reasons why pharmacists leave their jobs is because they have an unsupportive team environment. Pharmacy managers & HR managers, here is one solution to that:
Create a Code of Honor. Create a “code of honor” specifically for the pharmacy. This is something that isn’t talked about a lot, but is in essence the things (said or unsaid) that a team works according to. If there is not an established code of honor for the team, an individual usually goes by his/her own code of honor to make decisions. This is where you can start having problems. Read more on why it matters, what examples of a code of honor are, and how to create a team environment everyone wants to be a part of.
Why is creating a code of honor relevant in your pharmacy? As excerpted from Blair Singer’s “The ABC’s of Building a Business Team That Wins”, a Code of Honor is the physical manifestation of the team’s values, extended into behavior. It’s not enough to have values, because we all do. What’s so crucial is knowing how to put physical behavior into practice to reflect those values….It is about surrounding yourself with folks who subscribe to the same sets of rules and how to establish them so that you can ensure peak performance, fun and incredible results in all you do.”
You know the mismatched expectations of each other that can sometimes happen when pharmacy staff work together? The reality is that because of our own experience & perception, we come to our own ideas of guidelines, assumptions, and rules. That’s natural. “But when we start coming together with other people, organizations and cultures, we sometimes have a tough time figuring out why “those guys” don’t understand, or how they could so blatantly turn their back on our feelings, our way of doing things and our rules. In most respects, “those guys” feel the same way about us. Why? Because we assume that certain basic rules are the same. Bad assumption”, says Blair Singer.
It is only part of the picture to have a mission & a culture. Having a strong code of honor within the pharmacy makes the team stronger and reinforces what the pharmacy stands for.
Mission comes first, the needs of the team second, and the needs of the individual third. Develop the code of honor together as a pharmacy.
Some code of honor examples: “When a team member needs help, we will do whatever it takes to help that team member complete the task.” “Celebrate all wins.” “When someone breaches the code…”call it”!” “Keep agreements.” “Be on time.”
Discuss the code and make sure everyone is on the same page. For example, there may be different interpretations of what being on time means. Some people view being on time as arriving through the door on time. Others view it as ready at a workstation with a pen to start doing what needs to be done. This is to be discussed so that the team is on the same page and there is no unspoken resentment about different interpretations about the code.
In the absence of rules or “code”, people make up their own rules. One of the biggest challenges about the workplace is that well-meaning people are playing by different sets of rules.
If you want to learn how to implement the code of honor in your pharmacy, read Blair Singer’s “The ABCs of Building a Business Team That Wins: The Invisible Code of Honor That Takes Ordinary People and Turns Them Into a Championship Team”.
Pharmacy managers & HR, find out the rest of the Top 5 Reasons Why Pharmacists Leave Jobs & How to Prevent It by clicking here.
