Ready to Take Action & Turn Around Your Demotivated Pharmacy Staff?

Last month, you learned the first 3 steps to improve productivity and increase your pharmacy staff’s motivation by taking a proactive approach to the situation. Now, read on for the second stage of the process, in which you prepare and present a plan to motivate your staff to the next level.

Step 4: Give each of your staff the opportunity of completing special projects within the pharmacy and give them creative freedom to introduce it into pharmacy. These can be patient-service related, clinical, or workflow-related.  Allow your staff to have ways in which they may provide ongoing suggestions (ie, a suggestion box).  Take time to discuss as a team the top ones to work on next, with the input of your vision.  Give your staff the autonomy to be in charge of their project.  Be amazed at your staff taking ownership and having pride in what they create.  Give them a sense of purpose that motivates them to do their best every day.

Step 5: Make the most of your pharmacy technicians–give your techs ownership of an area that supports you. Ideas include taking P&T meeting minutes, organizing drug files (with you doing the aspects that require clinical knowledge), and answering all phone calls unless they escalate to requiring a pharmacist.  For example, in many pharmacies, when a patient asks for a pharmacist, the phone immediately gets handed to a pharmacist.  Instead, train your pharmacy support staff to ask what the person is calling about, so that if they can answer the question for them, they can do so.  This helps you as the pharmacist or pharmacy manager make the best use of your time.  You may train your support staff to say “so that I can give him/her [pharmacist] the heads up on what to help you with, would you let me know in a nutshell what you would like help with?”

Step 6: Inspect what you expect & acknowledge accomplishments. It’s cliché, but it rings true.  Consistency of performance is impossible to maintain long-term when you don’t take the time to “inspect what you expect” & continue to inspire your staff.

Taking an active approach to turn around a demotivated staff reaps great rewards in productivity, employee satisfaction, and team cohesiveness. After implementing your unique plan, watch as your pharmacy staff grows on an individual and team level. As time goes on, be sure to not let the excitement of these new responsibilities wear off.  Continue to encourage your pharmacists and techs to contribute in new, creative ways.