In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, it’s only a matter of time before your pharmacy has to implement change.
Maybe you need to add a pharmacy automation system to improve workflow and free up pharmacists’ time. Or, maybe you need to start an immunization program to provide more value to patients and compete with the national chain pharmacies in your community.
But implementing change isn’t an easy task, and it’s often met with resistance from employees.
Follow these five tips to help employees understand and embrace change at your pharmacy rather than resist it.
1. Lay out your vision
You have a vision for the future of your business and you know what changes need to occur. But have you explained the big picture to your team?
While it may seem obvious to you, your employees may not understand why change is necessary. And if they don’t share your vision, they’re not going to be on board.
Get your pharmacy team together to explain what you’re trying to accomplish and why. Let them ask questions so you can address any concerns or misconceptions before you start making big changes.
2. Explain the benefits
For your pharmacy team to support your vision, they need to see the benefits.
And, it’s not enough to show employees how the pharmacy will benefit in general. They need to know how they’ll benefit personally from the changes you plan to make.
For example, if you’re implementing a pharmacy automation system, focus on how it will make your employees’ jobs easier and more exciting. Rather than solely filling scripts, they’ll have more time to perform other tasks they enjoy, such as interacting with patients.
3. Assure job security
When change occurs in a business, employees immediately worry about their job security.
Think about it. Rather than focusing on the benefits of a pharmacy automation system, many employees may assume the system will simply take their place, making their job obsolete.
Reassure employees that the changes you implement are solely to make your business better, not to kick anyone to the curb. Remind your team how much you value them and make sure they understand their jobs are not at stake.
4. Be positive
The best way to get employees in the right mindset about change is to make it a positive experience.
One way to promote positivity is to get your team members engaged in the process. Encourage employees to participate by providing positive feedback and rewarding employees as they take steps to help implement change in your pharmacy.
For example, if you’re starting an immunization program and an employee comes up with a great marketing idea, give him a shout-out at the next team meeting or reward him with a long lunch break.
5. Make the process fun
If implementing change at your pharmacy means always jumping from one task to another, your employees will eventually lose motivation.
Make the process fun so employees get excited about the change and are motivated to keep moving forward.
For example, create friendly competition by rewarding the employee who comes up with the best name for a new program you’re offering.
Or, when you achieve a milestone, such as enrolling the first 10 patients in your medication synchronization program, celebrate by bringing in donuts for everyone.
Encourage employees to embrace—not resist—change. When you help them overcome their resistance to change, you’ll improve your business.
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