As I’m sure our readers will agree, running a successful pharmacy business is nothing short of a juggling act. At any one time, there’s multiple balls in the air and it takes hard work and organisation to ensure those balls don’t end up all over the floor.
One crucial component of this struggle is the training and development of pharmacy staff.
Gone are the days of a brief induction and some informal ‘on the job’ training. Indeed, regular and meaningful training is vital to keep your team engaged and enthusiastic as well as keeping your business chugging along.
It’s no secret there are a raft of competing priorities on your plate, but staff development is one aspect you have complete control over as an owner. A little extra time, energy and resources in this area can uncover numerous opportunities you never knew existed.
So, whether you’re holding training sessions yourself, or pulling in professional pharmacy trainers, here’s a few things to bear in mind.
1. Culture
Vision and mission. Yes, these sorts of statements can seem arbitrary and a bit ‘fluffy’, but a team is its strongest and most successful when it has clearly defined values that are actively embraced within the entire organisation.
Remember too, you’re the leader here, and the best team cultures are cultivated from the top, so it’s worth taking stock of your own strengths and weaknesses. Self-aware leaders are best placed to transform their team and maintain positive results.
2. Age of Reason
Staff need a reason. You need to let them know why they are undertaking the task you’ve prescribed them. All the training in the world can amount to zip if staff don’t understand the importance of what they do and how it slots into the bigger picture of the business.
3. Call in the Experts
Whether you subscribe to the theory or not, calling in the training experts gets results. Sure, you can conduct unstructured training on the fly, and that approach certainly has its place, but there’s no substitute for structured, tailored training courses that are specifically developed for your business sector and staff type.
Beyond the above, the outsourcing of staff development and training frees you up to manage and grow your pharmacy business!
– Andrew Whelan, General Manager at AP Group
