5 Ways to Build a High Performing Pharmacy Team
One of the biggest advantages of managing employees at an independent pharmacy is the flexibility to design a personalized pharmacy team. In fact, a well-managed, high-performing team will produce better business results.
But how does one build a team of high performers?
Effective communication is an essential part of effective team management. Better communication facilitates more streamlined operations, and helps eliminate time-wasting activities because everyone understands what is expected of them.
Pharmacy owners must shift the focus of their employees towards achieving business goals, personal accountability and top-notch customer service. Your customers and employees will all be happier thanks to this approach.
Here are some important tips for turning individual pharmacy workers into an impressive high-performance team:
1. Effective Time Management
Start by analyzing the duties of each team member. For a thorough and accurate analysis, it is best to do this without following the workers around like a shadow. Simply observe what they do throughout the day, and ask them about their duties. Ask these questions about different tasks to determine if they are essential:
- What would happen if this task were removed?
- Are there more benefits or disadvantages for changing this process?
- Is there any way to simplify this task or process?
- Are there too many people working on the same tasks?
- Are technologies available to make this process simpler?
Never make a change that compromises quality, service or accuracy in filling medications. When time-wasting tasks are cut and duties are clearly outlined for each team member, assignments will be finished faster. The day-to-day nature of the pharmacy business can be unpredictable, but implementing a time-management plan will make fluctuating volume demands easier to navigate.
2. Set Clear Business And Performance Goals
Every independent pharmacy owner should have specific goals. Setting daily goals for managing time, completing tasks or hitting a specific sales target can be a great way to help your team stay focused. Communicate these goals with your team members using a central shared bulletin board or an electronic system for better clarity. Hold regular meetings to evaluate progress.
3. Motivate With Incentives
When most independent pharmacy owners think of incentives, they think of cash bonuses. These are not always necessary. Weekly rewards such as a free bottled beverage and a protein bar could also do the trick to reward behaviors inexpensively. Consider offering gift cards, an extra vacation day or a credit voucher for in-house purchases to the best-performing worker on your team for each quarter. Simple recognition tactics such as paper awards, thank-you notes and a program for honoring the top employee of the month, can help boost morale and encourage quality work.
4. Rethink Training Strategies
Are staff members effectively trained when they are hired? Examine pharmacy training materials and methods. If there are processes that seem ineffective, remove or replace them. Ask your seasoned team members to suggest improvements for new employee, team training and development plans. One of the most important elements to incorporate throughout training and beyond is a collaborative culture.
5. Create A Team Culture
pharmacy success stories have a positive culture of teamwork, which translates to increased efficiency and improved ROI. Though building a strong team is not a one-time activity or a box you can check off. The process itself takes time and work, and maintaining it requires a team-oriented workplace culture.
If a pharmacy has several employees and a few departments, it’s a good idea to designate leaders for each. Then encourage team leaders to strengthen their sub-teams and support one another. It can be helpful to have regular “all team” meetings where workers praise one another for their efforts.
High-performing pharmacy teams are worth their weight in gold. Pharmacy owners have the power to create a positive and collaborative store environment that makes for happy customers and better results.
Would you like to learn more about building and leading a High-Performance Team? Let’s talk!
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