Stress in the workplace isn’t new. Concerns over short-staffing and changes to work requirements have risen. Add personal pressures to that, and it’s at the top of the list to address.
According to the American Psychological Association, some of the top contributing factors to workplace stress include:
- Low pay
- Limited opportunities for advancement
- Arduous workloads
- Meager support
- Unclear or inconsistent performance expectations
If a staff member struggles in any of these areas, provide a solution. It will lower employee stress and improve morale. This, in turn, minimizes stress levels in your pharmacy.
Other ways you may be able to minimize workplace stressors are:
- Hire more staff: Hiring someone new sounds easy, but it might not be in the budget; and you might not find the right person for your team.
- Involve your staff in more of the decisions that could affect their role: Involve them in the final decision-making. This gives them a better understanding as to why you’re making certain choices. This can remove any fear, frustration, or concerns they have.
- Offer clear performance principles: Help your employees feel successful by acknowledging their accomplished goals. Providing clarity can help them get rid of doubts, frustrations, and fears.
Don’t let an employee’s stress go unchecked. It’s not easy for them to leave their stress behind at work. They carry it home, which affects every aspect of their life. It can even affect their health, which can impact their morale and performance. In turn, this can affect your entire team.
Here are some great ways to lower the stress and strengthen the mental health of your staff:
Show empathy
Let your staff see your human side. Relate to them through empathy. They will know you care about them, and this will have a direct effect on their mental wellness.
Provide a healthy work-life balance
Reasonable work shifts with reasonable time off improves physical and mental health. Minimize overtime to allow them to renew themselves away from work.
Give challenging work assignments to employees
This will lessen their stress. High demands are taxing on their mental health. Keep a balance between the two to strengthen your employees’ mental and emotional stamina.
Allow opportunities for your employees to grow and advance
This will increase employee loyalty and longevity.
Employees need to feel valued and respected. Happy employees want to continue working in your pharmacy.
There will always be stress in a busy workplace. There’s no way around it. How you and your team handle it can make a huge difference in the working environment. Address the stress, and watch your team perform their best.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
