Change Can Be Good

Is your pharmacy in a rut? Has your staff’s routine become too much with the same-old, same-old?

It’s time to shake things up a little!

Routines are good things for the most part. They help us structure our days, manage our time well and pretty much help us get things done (meet deadlines).

But just as one chocolate never truly hurt anyone, a whole bag of Chips Ahoy can be detrimental to your health. In other words, too much of one thing can be, well, too much.

Read below for some ways to help you – and your staff – put a little change in your work routines, processes and policies.

The first thing you should do is show your staff that you accept any change that’s coming. After all, if the boss doesn’t embrace the change, can you really expect the team to do so? Explain to your staff members why the change was made, how and why it will benefit the company/department (and even the employees themselves).

Make sure you announce the change to everyone on your staff at the same time if you want everyone to hear it simultaneously, or if you want your team members to collectively come up with ideas for solutions to problems with the change. Be sure you let employees know about the change as soon as possible so that the rumor mill won’t announce it to them first.

If you believe the change will elicit a strong emotional response, it might be better to announce it to your staff individually. This also applies if the information you need to give is sensitive or confidential in nature (such as a downsizing, employment status or salary increase/decrease). You also might want to let folks know about the change on a one-to-one basis if you feel that some problematic employees might make matters worse. For example, the Negative Nelly on your team might try to make employees feel worse about the news.

Announce the change in writing as well as verbally.

Encourage your team members to ask any and all questions and to express how they really feel about the change. You also may find that they have great ideas regarding how to make the transition easier. This also helps them feel a part of the process and will help them accept the change more readily.

If the change is not a happy one (lay offs, for example), allow your employees to feel what they’re going to feel. Feel it along with them. Mourn the loss together.

As time goes on and the change is implemented, check in with your team members regularly to see how the change is moving along and how they’re feeling about it.

If a change you’re contemplating is to add staff to your pharmacy or department, contact the recruiters at Rx relief®. We can source, vet and place skilled and reliable pharmacists and pharmacy techs in your facility quickly and affordably. Contact us today.