1 year WFH and feeling isolated - what would you do ?

[DoctorRx1986]

Hello, guys, in some other threads , I’ve mentioned that I worked retail for 9 years and left last April . It took me 2 months to find a new position and since then I’ve been WFH for an insurance company/PBM doing patient consultation taking calls everyday for 8 hours a day . In this position, I use more of my knowledge and interact with patients addressing their pharmaceutical concerns - it is essentially a call center job. At first, I really looked forward to this role working from home but the last few months or so I’ve really been questioning if I can work from home for years on end . Don’t get me wrong- the hours are decent, 8 hour shifts, I just received a 4.25% pay raise and a $3,500 bonus (gross) within this first year . I also receive 18 days of PTO and by next year that number will be 23 days . But the isolation and lack of social camaraderie is affecting me . I met so many great pharmacists, technicians, etc in my retail years and the interaction was amazing. I have never been the most extroverted person out there but my years in retail changed me and I do crave some interaction in a traditional work setting . Lately, I have found out 2 of the people who were in my training course last year left the company and it makes me wonder if they were feeling the same lack of social interaction. I also read online that many people like WFH because they can take care of things during the day or work from the living room , a coffee shop , etc but in my role I can’t do that . I feel if I had a company laptop and I could work remotely from anywhere I can change the scene , work at a Starbucks while people watching etc. Instead I work in my bedroom and it’s a phone job with no ability to take off with a laptop and work anywhere . I am strongly considering working for about another year or so before looking for other employment perhaps in a more traditional setting with people so long as it is not retail or even a hybrid position where I can work in a traditional setting most days of the week and then 2 days at home . Does anyone have any recommendations or insights ? Anyone out there who can relate to my feelings ? It sucks because my job is stress free but I don’t think it’s healthy either to have no co-workers, colleagues , or anybody for years on end . I’d say by 2 years, max 3 years, in this role is the most I can handle being just on my own . Keep in mind my wife is not even working at this time and it still feels lonely - I can only imagine when my wife returns to work . What would you do ?

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[lord999]

I’d find a community outside work or go to work counseling as this is a true issue and therapy helps. Don’t do something self destructive on something fixable.

 

[DoctorRx1986]

I’d find a community outside work or go to work counseling as this is a true issue and therapy helps. Don’t do something self destructive on something fixable.

Hi, Lord, thanks for your reply . I guess I can look into finding a community outside of work . However, when you warn about avoiding doing anything self-destructive, trust me, I wouldn’t leave my current job just to go back to retail - no way . But what do you think of hybrid positions in which you may work in a facility /institution a few days a week and the rest of the time at home ? Also, do you know of pharmacist positions which allow you to work beyond the confines of home ? I hear people talk about “WFH” and “working remotely” all the time and use the terms interchangeably but they aren’t the same . True remote working means you can simply take your laptop and work at home, in a cafe, at a park , etc . As long as you get the job done, you’re good to go . In other remote setups, you have a screen or two and are confined to the house 100% of the time . At a year in , I am not sure I want this setup for 5-10 years or longer so I am weighing different options and thinking .

 

[RXDOC1986]

Hello, guys, in some other threads , I’ve mentioned that I worked retail for 9 years and left last April . It took me 2 months to find a new position and since then I’ve been WFH for an insurance company/PBM doing patient consultation taking calls everyday for 8 hours a day . In this position, I use more of my knowledge and interact with patients addressing their pharmaceutical concerns - it is essentially a call center job. At first, I really looked forward to this role working from home but the last few months or so I’ve really been questioning if I can work from home for years on end . Don’t get me wrong- the hours are decent, 8 hour shifts, I just received a 4.25% pay raise and a $3,500 bonus (gross) within this first year . I also receive 18 days of PTO and by next year that number will be 23 days . But the isolation and lack of social camaraderie is affecting me . I met so many great pharmacists, technicians, etc in my retail years and the interaction was amazing. I have never been the most extroverted person out there but my years in retail changed me and I do crave some interaction in a traditional work setting . Lately, I have found out 2 of the people who were in my training course last year left the company and it makes me wonder if they were feeling the same lack of social interaction. I also read online that many people like WFH because they can take care of things during the day or work from the living room , a coffee shop , etc but in my role I can’t do that . I feel if I had a company laptop and I could work remotely from anywhere I can change the scene , work at a Starbucks while people watching etc. Instead I work in my bedroom and it’s a phone job with no ability to take off with a laptop and work anywhere . I am strongly considering working for about another year or so before looking for other employment perhaps in a more traditional setting with people so long as it is not retail or even a hybrid position where I can work in a traditional setting most days of the week and then 2 days at home . Does anyone have any recommendations or insights ? Anyone out there who can relate to my feelings ? It sucks because my job is stress free but I don’t think it’s healthy either to have no co-workers, colleagues , or anybody for years on end . I’d say by 2 years, max 3 years, in this role is the most I can handle being just on my own . Keep in mind my wife is not even working at this time and it still feels lonely - I can only imagine when my wife returns to work . What would you do ?

Doc, how are you? I remember your posts from last year. I am guessing, the newness has worn off! It's the "grass is always greener" symptom. Having worked with large pharmacy staff at many different jobs, would be hard pressed to call any of my interactions "amazing". Never really met too many, or any "great" pharmacist or techs, anywhere. I have always found friends and social interactions, outside of work.
You have a decent job, a great work environment (home) and fantastic co-workers (no one). Just try finding your much needed social interactions outside of work. You must have hobbies, and interests, outside of work! Surely, you are not missing retail???

 

[RXDOC1986]

Hi, Lord, thanks for your reply . I guess I can look into finding a community outside of work . However, when you warn about avoiding doing anything self-destructive, trust me, I wouldn’t leave my current job just to go back to retail - no way . But what do you think of hybrid positions in which you may work in a facility /institution a few days a week and the rest of the time at home ? Also, do you know of pharmacist positions which allow you to work beyond the confines of home ? I hear people talk about “WFH” and “working remotely” all the time and use the terms interchangeably but they aren’t the same . True remote working means you can simply take your laptop and work at home, in a cafe, at a park , etc . As long as you get the job done, you’re good to go . In other remote setups, you have a screen or two and are confined to the house 100% of the time . At a year in , I am not sure I want this setup for 5-10 years or longer so I am weighing different options and thinking .

I see you are a good bit focused on "remote" work from a Starbucks, a lovely park bench, or an exotic location. I don't really think our type of work, accessing medical literature, Lexicomp, or drug info, really lends itself to a sidewalk cafe, in Paris. I would want my pharmacists, giving me advice and info, to have multiple screens and be focused on my medical care. It's an 8-hr shift, afterwork, you can hit all the cafes, talk to interesting people.

 

[lord999]

Hi, Lord, thanks for your reply . I guess I can look into finding a community outside of work . However, when you warn about avoiding doing anything self-destructive, trust me, I wouldn’t leave my current job just to go back to retail - no way . But what do you think of hybrid positions in which you may work in a facility /institution a few days a week and the rest of the time at home ? Also, do you know of pharmacist positions which allow you to work beyond the confines of home ? I hear people talk about “WFH” and “working remotely” all the time and use the terms interchangeably but they aren’t the same . True remote working means you can simply take your laptop and work at home, in a cafe, at a park , etc . As long as you get the job done, you’re good to go . In other remote setups, you have a screen or two and are confined to the house 100% of the time . At a year in , I am not sure I want this setup for 5-10 years or longer so I am weighing different options and thinking .

I really think you need formal career counseling, and not because you are irrational, but you need guidance. It's honestly worth the money to sort yourself out as I've seen too many people do self-destructive things.

For classical pharmacy, no on the on-the-go because of PII/PHI concerns. Hybrid positions mean that you get the disadvantages of both with the advantages of neither most of the time (think about having two bosses and how that always turns out in the end).

 

[mentos]

Are they hiring?

 

[projektreverb]

Hello, guys, in some other threads , I’ve mentioned that I worked retail for 9 years and left last April . It took me 2 months to find a new position and since then I’ve been WFH for an insurance company/PBM doing patient consultation taking calls everyday for 8 hours a day . In this position, I use more of my knowledge and interact with patients addressing their pharmaceutical concerns - it is essentially a call center job. At first, I really looked forward to this role working from home but the last few months or so I’ve really been questioning if I can work from home for years on end . Don’t get me wrong- the hours are decent, 8 hour shifts, I just received a 4.25% pay raise and a $3,500 bonus (gross) within this first year . I also receive 18 days of PTO and by next year that number will be 23 days . But the isolation and lack of social camaraderie is affecting me . I met so many great pharmacists, technicians, etc in my retail years and the interaction was amazing. I have never been the most extroverted person out there but my years in retail changed me and I do crave some interaction in a traditional work setting . Lately, I have found out 2 of the people who were in my training course last year left the company and it makes me wonder if they were feeling the same lack of social interaction. I also read online that many people like WFH because they can take care of things during the day or work from the living room , a coffee shop , etc but in my role I can’t do that . I feel if I had a company laptop and I could work remotely from anywhere I can change the scene , work at a Starbucks while people watching etc. Instead I work in my bedroom and it’s a phone job with no ability to take off with a laptop and work anywhere . I am strongly considering working for about another year or so before looking for other employment perhaps in a more traditional setting with people so long as it is not retail or even a hybrid position where I can work in a traditional setting most days of the week and then 2 days at home . Does anyone have any recommendations or insights ? Anyone out there who can relate to my feelings ? It sucks because my job is stress free but I don’t think it’s healthy either to have no co-workers, colleagues , or anybody for years on end . I’d say by 2 years, max 3 years, in this role is the most I can handle being just on my own . Keep in mind my wife is not even working at this time and it still feels lonely - I can only imagine when my wife returns to work . What would you do ?

Sounds like you’re working for Optum mail order. I understand your sentiment. I felt the same way about a year in. Optum/UHG can isolate you pretty quick. What I did when I was there was I had a few work “friends” I’d communicate with daily via text. We’d vent to each other about work. Key think, make sure you don’t do it over teams. They DO read everything you say there. Trust me. Keep it professional on the teams chats.

I came from the busiest Walgreens in our district and knew a lot of people in our Walgreens area (I live in a metro area so our districts are comparatively small). It felt nice having that comradery with them but at the end of the day Walgreens was detrimental for my sanity. I thought about picking up a shift or two just to stay in the loop but with the covid vaccine and tests, it’s simply not worth the pressure of the metrics to me. And they were paying me less than I make now.

My situation might be a little different than yours, my wife works from home too. It’s great that I can get up and chit chat with her whenever, and we coordinate our lunches at the same time.

She’s in way better shape than me with minimal gym time so usually she finishes later than me, will make the food while I’m working out and running errands. Come back just in time to eat dinner and clean the dishes. Everyone wins.

I guess what I’m saying is work out a system?

The hardest part was feeling like I lost some social life. You have to work at this part. Make sure to spend time with friends and family outside work. Dedicate time to them regularly, wether it be phone calls or face to face time.

It may also be worth exploring a different company or role now that you have your feet wet in the PBM world. It’s hard to see yourself growing when you work for Optum as they like to silo you like that. I’d recommend exploring both internal and external roles once you’ve crossed your first performance review/year as that is a requirement with Optum when I left.

My two cents, feel free to shoot me a message if you have more specific questions 🙂

 

[Gombrich12]

Modern work environments aren't meant for socializing. In the past you would've socialized at a church, union hall, or some sort social club. Sorry that no longer exists. I would reccomend finding a outdoor physical hobby you like and joining some sort of group there so you can knock out exercise, socializing, and getting some sunshine in one go.

 

[projektreverb]

Modern work environments aren't meant for socializing. In the past you would've socialized at a church, union hall, or some sort social club. Sorry that no longer exists. I would reccomend finding an outdoor physical hobby you like and joining some sort of group there so you can knock out exercise, socializing, and getting some sunshine in one go.

Agreed. I was actually talking to a friend this morning about how your coworkers are not your friends. They are your competitors and will throw you under the bus at the first sign of trouble.

 

[Gombrich12]

Agreed. I was actually talking to a friend this morning about how your coworkers are not your friends. They are your competitors and will throw you under the bus at the first sign of trouble.

Yea, once lifetime employment at mega corporations went away it no longer made sense to treat coworkers as family.

 

[mustang sally]

I think looking for a new job if you are unhappy is perfectly reasonable.

All of the pharmacists at my job occasionally work from home. It's fine once in a while, but there is definitely something lacking about it. In addition to not having that outside social stimulation, there is also just so much less movement.

Personally, I know my coworkers are not all my friends but there is still something to be said about having colleagues and those types of interactions (at least for me, anyway).

 

[DoctorRx1986]

Doc, how are you? I remember your posts from last year. I am guessing, the newness has worn off! It's the "grass is always greener" symptom. Having worked with large pharmacy staff at many different jobs, would be hard pressed to call any of my interactions "amazing". Never really met too many, or any "great" pharmacist or techs, anywhere. I have always found friends and social interactions, outside of work.
You have a decent job, a great work environment (home) and fantastic co-workers (no one). Just try finding your much needed social interactions outside of work. You must have hobbies, and interests, outside of work! Surely, you are not missing retail???

Appreciate your reply, Rxdoc. Trust me, I do not miss the hectic and chaotic work life in retail . I know that setting and worked in it from age 26 until 35. The only thing I miss is the social factor - I staffed and floated as well and met some cool people and miss the simple things - a team member’s birthday celebration, front end staff or pharmacy coworkers bringing us coffee , ordering lunch for my staff, laughing at a joke, accomplishing some goal as a team . The human touch - something so simple, yet overlooked- is what I miss . It really should not be that difficult to understand but I guess it might be if you are a retail pharmacist struggling to get out . Don’t misunderstand me - my job is far easier consulting with patients on the phone , educating them, referring to their MDs as necessary , and just listening to them . No worries about vaccines, multi-tasking, or any other nonsense . My job is cake in comparison to what 95% of pharmacists experience daily . The only downside is a very real reality of remote work - loneliness and isolation and most people experience it . I was just trying to get some feedback from pharmacists who can relate and know what I’m talking about . Would I leave to return to retail ? Of course not . If I wanted another job , I am sure my current role with just 1 year experience in addition to my retail experience would open up opportunities for other non-retail jobs so retail would not be an option at this point .

 

[DoctorRx1986]

I think looking for a new job if you are unhappy is perfectly reasonable.

All of the pharmacists at my job occasionally work from home. It's fine once in a while, but there is definitely something lacking about it. In addition to not having that outside social stimulation, there is also just so much less movement.

Personally, I know my coworkers are not all my friends but there is still something to be said about having colleagues and those types of interactions (at least for me, anyway).

Hi, mustang, there are plenty of positives with my job I am satisfied with and appreciate very much compared to the retail life, but the social factor missing is still making a profound impact on me . I wouldn’t leave at this point because I’ve only been questioning if I will be ok with no colleagues for years on end . I guess time will tell and perhaps all I really need is more time to fully adapt to lack of interaction . Perhaps by 2 years into my role it won’t bother me much at all so only time will tell . I can tell you other than the social factor I am overall much more at ease and a lot less stressed compared to retail hell .

 

[projektreverb]

Hi, mustang, there are plenty of positives with my job I am satisfied with and appreciate very much compared to the retail life, but the social factor missing is still making a profound impact on me . I wouldn’t leave at this point because I’ve only been questioning if I will be ok with no colleagues for years on end . I guess time will tell and perhaps all I really need is more time to fully adapt to lack of interaction . Perhaps by 2 years into my role it won’t bother me much at all so only time will tell . I can tell you other than the social factor I am overall much more at ease and a lot less stressed compared to retail hell .

Never forget that ultimately, it’s all just a job 🙂

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Are you getting outside, exercising, taking care of yourself, etc?

 

[gwarm01]

Definitely try to find a hobby that is not pharmacy related. I've been working remotely since the pandemic started, and can definitely feel moments of isolation. Luckily I was never much of a social butterfly and spent most of my youth gaming on my PC, so I'm pretty well adjusted to this sort of lifestyle. That being said, I have a good friend that I like to go fishing with and we try to get out once a week. It's enough social interaction to keep me happy without depleting my introvert social battery.

The only hybrid pharmacist positions I've ever heard of have been in administrative roles or on the informatics side. Traditional pharmacy work just doesn't afford that kind of opportunity.

 

[sunnyandseventytwo]

How far are you from an office? I had your job for a few years before working from home was popular. A few people on my team started remotely on a trial basis, but they lived near the call center, so could always come in (most of them only did when there were mandatory meetings). Working at call center while physically in a call center was sort of fun--you could try to make your neighbor crack up in the middle of a consultation. Anyway, if the nearest home office is 3 states away, how about looking for a PBM job with a physical presence in your area? Once you get bored with talking to patients, most other PBM jobs better lend themselves to hybrid (or Starbucks) work. Prior Auth would be the easiest job for you to move into, and later, if you get into appeals, particularly on a contract basis, that would be the perfect sit on a bench by the lake job.

Note: Underperformers who were working from home would lose the privilege and have to come back to the building. So I'd recommend doing nothing for like 3 months to see what happens. You could be like: "No, don't throw me into the briar patch!"

 

[Reirrac]

My preference for solitude and keeping a professional relationship between coworkers made WFH wonderful for me. My social needs were met through family and relatives. Transitioning to hybrid post-COVID made me feel out of my element, rather. It's nice to meet coworkers face to face, but not necessary for keeping me sane.

I understand everyone's needs are different. As other's already mentioned, having social interactions outside of work may be helpful.

 

[yovee]

I think feeling isolated is always a thing for most people. Depending on your work conditions, it may or may not surface as a prevalent issue for you. If you work in a toxic or overwhelming environment, stress takes over and you probably won't feel isolated (or maybe even glad that you are), but that feeling has always been there.

I really think you need formal career counseling, and not because you are irrational, but you need guidance. It's honestly worth the money to sort yourself out as I've seen too many people do self-destructive things.

I heard of these kinds of counseling but has no ideas what it is. Can you elaborate? Closest I can think of is that service by a burnt out pharmacist on how people can find jobs that fit better to their passion or whatever.

 

[blueclassring]

There is no doing this job with a laptop. They really want you in a room where you can lock the door to satisfy HIPPA requirements. So, no you cannot do this job at Starbucks. That in my case would be instant termination. If you don't do it already, keep the routine as a work routine(meaning go the the gym, shower, get dressed for work(even if you don't have to), socialize with friends and family outside work(although we don't do this at our workplace even though some have suggested meeting for happy hour(most don't want to go). leave work at work. The job in most cases is pretty easy compared to retail. At retail, I met lots of backstabbers, lazy workers, and lots of ass-kissing to do less work. The job nearly ruined my health. i like where I am now because I don't have to deal with a lot of the bs in face to face jobs, or even deal with mailicious coworkers.

 

[DH1987]

Just some thoughts as I do not have WFH experience: try to develop things outside of work. Hobbies, meetup groups, sign up for some classes, maybe even second part time jobs. You could even do some Uber runs where you are rewarded for striking up conversations with people. Try to find something to do or places to go that tend to be social in nature. I've also made friends at the local gym (and I am far from being extroverted). Try to break the comfort zone and try new things that have a social component to them. Or try to introduce social components into any currently existing hobbies.

 

[RxPreceptor]

Yeah I can relate as far as isolation and loneliness working overnights (kind of why I post here regularly)…it’s definitely no where near as remote as WFH. Seems better suited for us introverts

 

[tropicalstudent]

Just work a shift in retail a week and then come home and thank your lucky stars

 

[mentos]

Just work a shift in retail a week and then come home and thank your lucky stars

There's certainly interaction... With drug seekers, heroin addicts, maybe the occasional robber.

 

[pharmdeep]

curious to know what the job title is for these types of positions and is it possible to do part time ? i wouldn't mind doing this for 2 or 3 days a week.

 

[projektreverb]

curious to know what the job title is for these types of positions and is it possible to do part time ? i wouldn't mind doing this for 2 or 3 days a week.

I usually type in pharmacist and set location as remote when I look. Unless someone has a better way. The full time positions do seem to be more common. I recently saw a major PBM list a part time position for 25 hours but they did say 5 hour shifts Monday-Friday.

 

[pharmdeep]

I usually type in pharmacist and set location as remote when I look. Unless someone has a better way. The full time positions do seem to be more common. I recently saw a major PBM list a part time position for 25 hours but they did say 5 hour shifts Monday-Friday.

That actually sounds amazing lol

 

[MARX22]

There is no doing this job with a laptop. They really want you in a room where you can lock the door to satisfy HIPPA requirements. So, no you cannot do this job at Starbucks. That in my case would be instant termination. If you don't do it already, keep the routine as a work routine(meaning go the the gym, shower, get dressed for work(even if you don't have to), socialize with friends and family outside work(although we don't do this at our workplace even though some have suggested meeting for happy hour(most don't want to go). leave work at work. The job in most cases is pretty easy compared to retail. At retail, I met lots of backstabbers, lazy workers, and lots of ass-kissing to do less work. The job nearly ruined my health. i like where I am now because I don't have to deal with a lot of the bs in face to face jobs, or even deal with mailicious coworkers.

This is so true. What kind of work do you do?