Finishing up the last-minute details of planning your next pharmacy event. Meeting with a steady number of patients. Achieving your front-end sales goal for the month. These are just a few of the many projects you and your staff work to complete day in and day out at your independent community pharmacy.
You probably wouldn’t argue that at the end of every day you want to feel accomplished. But, completing all of the tasks that need to get done can often seem impossible. It’s likely that your employees feel the same. If you’ve noticed a decline in productivity at your pharmacy, there are common factors that may be the culprit.
We’ve identified five common workplace issues that lessen productivity. If you’ve noticed any of these occurring at your pharmacy, follow these tips to get back on track.
Common workplace issue 1: Inefficient management
Employees flourish under proper management. Without the guidance and supervision of a talented leader, productivity can suffer. Employees who aren’t pushed to their full potential, or those who feel as if their efforts aren’t recognized may be less likely to work as hard or as productively.
As an independent community pharmacy manager or owner, it’s vital to take the necessary steps to correctly lead and manage your pharmacy team. If you find that you want to enhance your managerial skills, follow these tips to become a better pharmacy manager.
Common workplace issue 2: Too many disruptions
Talkative coworkers, loud music and the doorbell ringing can cause even the most attentive employee to lose focus.
Research from Oxford Economics, a global advisory firm, even confirmed this point. A survey, When the walls come down: How smart companies are rewriting rules of the open workplace, discovered that more than half of surveyed employees found ambient noise to be displeasing at work.
If you’ve noticed a decline in productivity linked to the ongoing commotions happening in your pharmacy, consider designing your workplace to encourage productivity.
For example, creating a back area for patient consultations, a place to administer immunizations or even a room for employees to take their break can greatly lessen the amount of noise heard throughout your pharmacy.
Common workplace issue 3: Endless connectivity
In today’s world, being constantly connected is almost unavoidable. Text messages, phone calls and personal emails can all contribute to a decrease in productivity.
Respecting a certain amount of personal time for your employees is essential to maintaining an enjoyable and positive work environment, but if you’ve noticed technology or personal matters taking up too much time, it may be wise to develop a policy concerning the issue.
Communicating what you expect from your employees can help eliminate this common workplace issue.
Common workplace issue 4: Out-of-date technology
Using outdated methods, tools or technology can considerably affect your pharmacy’s productivity.
Streamline workflow to boost productivity by ensuring that all technology in your pharmacy is up-to-date.
For example, adding automation into your pharmacy enables you to reallocate employees to roles that advance your pharmacy business, and that can’t be done with automation.
Common workplace issue 5: Job dissatisfaction
Happy employees and productivity go hand-in-hand.
Dissatisfied employees are less likely to work toward specific goals or go above what’s required of them.
Making the right hire is the first step. Working to maintain a stress-free work environment and avoiding a toxic culture in the pharmacy workplace can also help.
Also, reward efficiency to improve your employees’ job satisfaction and your pharmacy’s productivity.
Discover three ways to boost employee morale (and productivity).
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