Any pharmacy managers at 36 hours a week?

[flyers0806]

Thinking of dropping down to 72 hours biweekly as a pharmacy manager. My fear however is that with all my PIC tasks I will end up putting in a lot of unpaid time and work close to 80 hours still but just not get paid for it. I do take my job seriously now and try to be very thorough but worry I would be missing things if not at work as much. Looking for insight from others who work 36 hrs and week/72 biweekly. Thanks!

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[King2440]

From the corporate standpoint they may question your commitment. I wouldn’t do it. You know for a fact you will always put in more time than you are scheduled for. May as well get paid for it.

 

[Sine Cura]

Delegate "PIC tasks" to your staff pharmacists and if they can't do it, hold them accountable

 

[ValeRx]

At Kroger, as a PIC, you are required to be there 40 hours/5 days per week. Some places used to do four 10s but that was changed.

 

[wagrxm2000]

If this is allowed, do it. Like the person above said, there's only so many tasks the PIC can only do. Give everything out, if they don't get it done, that's on them.

Everyone should be living the PIC life, it's pretty great.

 

[Lexington2012]

Both WAG and CVS allow it. There is a CVS PIC at a store near me that only works 30 hours a week.

 

[Sine Cura]

Especially at Walmart these days with so much noise being made about accountability, if you can't count on your staff pharmacists to do what is required of their job description, you should hold them accountable. Even writing up techs is not a PIC-only task.

The main barrier is soft HR policies that give people too many extra chances.

 

[sunshine802]

I think you should have a conversation first with your staff pharmacist before taking the advice noted above. As PIC you are paid more to take on managerial tasks, so it’s not fair to assume equal responsibility. How will the hours be divided if you drop down to 72hrs biweekly? Will a floater, who has no responsibility to the store, be working that 8 hours? I don’t think it’s fair to automatically expect the staff pharmacist to take on more responsibility without equal compensation. Just my two cents, though!

 

[lord999]

Not necessarily. There are tasks that you can delegate, but you hold the final responsibility for as a PIC, so if they screw up, it's still your problem, so I would not delegate tasks that the cleanup job is far worse than just doing it yourself (and delegate supervisory functions like leave and such are just asking for termination). Honestly, I don't think your life is going to get much better moving to 72 hours, because inevitably, you'll be forced to work off the clock as you won't be treated differently than the other 80 hour managers. I'm sure your DM would gleefully take it, because s/he knows this too if they are reasonably aware.

 

[Sine Cura]

This is where the idea of rewarding performance and accountability is a complete joke for corporate retail. "If they screw up" but it still can become an HR issue as everyone is scared to pull the trigger and fire that dead weight, pharmacist or tech, what is the point?

Complaining about "more responsibility without equal compensation" especially when PIC might get a 50 cent/hr premium and its not unusual for the staff pharmacist to be paid more than the PIC is actually "doing the bare minimum without a care in the world" for most dead weight RPH

 

[lord999]

This is where the idea of rewarding performance and accountability is a complete joke for corporate retail. "If they screw up" but it still can become an HR issue as everyone is scared to pull the trigger and fire that dead weight, pharmacist or tech, what is the point?

"If you need to have HR fire someone, you're not creative enough as a pharmacy director." - Cleaned up version of what I eavesdropped on first pharmacy director yelling at a supervisor through the office door.

Constructive termination works wonders for those situations.

 

[Sine Cura]

I am very good at constructive termination actually when it comes to techs but dead-weight pharmacists naturally will cling to their last job they'll ever have as a pharmacist at whatever cost

 

[King2440]

I am very good at constructive termination actually when it comes to techs but dead-weight pharmacists naturally will cling to their last job they'll ever have as a pharmacist at whatever cost

But a PIC can be canned for anything related to Compliance. If you dig deep enough in any store you can always find a violation.

 

[lord999]

I am very good at constructive termination actually when it comes to techs but dead-weight pharmacists naturally will cling to their last job they'll ever have as a pharmacist at whatever cost

Then, make them pay an appropriate misery tax if you don't want them and just have to support. You're paying your own to suffer them. I've heard of fairly wily ones where a Director took a known semi-controlled diabetic and with the schedule, she see-sawed the pharmacist late, late, day, day, day, late, until he decompensated and was medically retired or screwing around with vacations and leave on necessity (always around school vacations) that indirectly caused a divorce to get rid of her Assistant Director. Trust me, there's a deep well of sadism creativity that you can plumb if you really want to. Not that I would ever advocate such a solution, though I've had my own encounters to survive with that...

What I learned from that Director:
1. Never put personal events on a work calendar (because your Director will spy on it).
2. Never disclose any of my health conditions to supervision or anyone at work.
3. Never discuss why I'm taking vacation when with anyone or be visibly looking forward to it if cancellation is a possibility.
4. Strategically take sick leave if someone is intentionally trying to break your Circadian.

 

[johnpharm01]

Then, make them pay an appropriate misery tax if you don't want them and just have to support. You're paying your own to suffer them. I've heard of fairly wily ones where a Director took a known semi-controlled diabetic and with the schedule, she see-sawed the pharmacist late, late, day, day, day, late, until he decompensated and was medically retired or screwing around with vacations and leave on necessity (always around school vacations) that indirectly caused a divorce to get rid of her Assistant Director. Trust me, there's a deep well of sadism creativity that you can plumb if you really want to. Not that I would ever advocate such a solution, though I've had my own encounters to survive with that...

What I learned from that Director:
1. Never put personal events on a work calendar (because your Director will spy on it).
2. Never disclose any of my health conditions to supervision or anyone at work.
3. Never discuss why I'm taking vacation when with anyone or be visibly looking forward to it if cancellation is a possibility.
4. Strategically take sick leave if someone is intentionally trying to break your Circadian.

Why play all these games? They are for the poor character managers who lack ability to truly manage. The games are apparent to all parties involved especially employment attorneys. Its simple. If you have a poor performer ask yourself what makes you believe they are a poor performer and objectively identify it. Lets say it is punctuality. They are always late. Check HR policies and have a staff meeting explaining the need to be on time. Then enforce it. Your poor performer will likely not show up on time and given time will fire themselves. And remember the adage "you can delegate authority, but you can never delegate responsibility."

 

[wagrxm2000]

Here we go again with the everything falls on the PIC thing.

Like I've said many times, it's nearly impossible for something to go wrong and have it fall on the PIC at least from a Walgreens stand point. Walgreens holds the PICs hand so much, it's not going to happen.

Take less hours if you can.

 

[lord999]

Why play all these games? They are for the poor character managers who lack ability to truly manage. The games are apparent to all parties involved especially employment attorneys. Its simple. If you have a poor performer ask yourself what makes you believe they are a poor performer and objectively identify it. Lets say it is punctuality. They are always late. Check HR policies and have a staff meeting explaining the need to be on time. Then enforce it. Your poor performer will likely not show up on time and given time will fire themselves. And remember the adage "you can delegate authority, but you can never delegate responsibility."

When you want to fire managers, there's always something you can do easily if you just don't like someone. Employees are actually harder to figure out, but that's the management puzzle. Because simple termination is impossible in the government due to both public law and private norms with respect to getting rid of someone, that's the major reason for the creativity. In a right to work environment, I would do exactly as you suggest, though it's not as easy as it reads to do it, because the employee can basically protest that it was selective enforcement and if they can point to other examples elsewhere, then no. What you suggest doesn't work, because it's just one factor, and unless there is a company-wide interest in it, the employee has grounds for the same defense that you suggest. Whether you call it games or something else, you have to figure out from your working environment what options are available and what options you are willing to do. Government has to be especially creative, because how you can be a dysfunctional or negative productivity employee is much more nuanced than the simple retail environment.

But for the obvious stuff like punctuality or sobriety, yeah, that's easy. It's harder when someone is just mediocre and not positively a problem that those tactics work for. And no, employment attorneys have a hard time when you voluntarily leave, because it was voluntary, even in the civil service.

 

[sosoo]

The main barrier is soft HR policies that give people too many extra chances.

the reason for that is to prevent former employees suing the company for wrongful termination... i've witnessed a pharmacist done that and won half a million.

 

[quickpic007]

Delegate "PIC tasks" to your staff pharmacists and if they can't do it, hold them accountable

Accountable for what? PIC leaves a laundry list for me as a float or staff I tell the scheduler take me off that store. No way I punch in and do managers dirty work so they get a bonus.

 

[Sine Cura]

Most "PIC tasks" are validation tasks or basic compliance tasks like ensuring controlled substance returns are done correctly.

In any case non-performers are getting hrs cut anyway or are condemned to work ****ty stores. If they can't even do basic tasks of the job, which includes "ensures compliance with company and legal policies, procedures, and regulations," not gonna feel sorry for them

 

[wagrxm2000]

Accountable for what? PIC leaves a laundry list for me as a float or staff I tell the scheduler take me off that store. No way I punch in and do managers dirty work so they get a bonus.

Ah the typical floater, thinks they are just there to keep the store open.

Our scheduler doesn't take requests. If you don't want the shift, you will only get base hours. If you need the shift to get your base, you will be forced to work there.

Let's get something straight though, if I leave tasks, it's because I believe you will have time to complete them. If we're completely caught up like most days since we know what were doing at my store, I will leave a list of things you CAN do, not have to do.

 

[King2440]

Most "PIC tasks" are validation tasks or basic compliance tasks like ensuring controlled substance returns are done correctly.

In any case non-performers are getting hrs cut anyway or are condemned to work ****ty stores. If they can't even do basic tasks of the job, which includes "ensures compliance with company and legal policies, procedures, and regulations," not gonna feel sorry for them

Bet I can walk into your store and find one expired , a Medicare B error, address mismatch of patient and what’s on Rx, A PQCF not fully completed , etc.

Guess what, your not in Compliance then.

 

[Sine Cura]

Bet I can walk into your store and find one expired , a Medicare B error, address mismatch of patient and what’s on Rx, A PQCF not fully completed , etc.

Guess what, your not in Compliance then.

Guess what? That's addressed by either the monthly audit or who cares if an occasional address slips through the cracks (unless controlled, which should be addressed by the weekly CS script validation)

Assign a tech to a section of the pharmacy to zone and pull outdates => expired discovered => document performance shortfall => coaching if necessary

Medicare B error => document performance shortfall of pharmacist and tech => coach if necessary

Address mismatch => you're supposed to update address all the time => coaching if repeated issue & documented

PQCF => falls on the tech and pharmacist => document performance shortfall => coaching if necessary

And LOL@nitpicky compliance at Walmart 'cause even the file cabinet POM is not compliant with CSA if you follow it literally

I'm talking about basic **** like ensuring techs finish outdates on a weekend where you cannot schedule 4 people both days, 1 for pickup, 1 for bagging, 1 for filing and 1 for drop off and not nag the tech how to process RPH DUR or bag 3 orders the because you as a pharmacist suck at your job.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Bet I can walk into your store and find one expired , a Medicare B error, address mismatch of patient and what’s on Rx, A PQCF not fully completed , etc.

Guess what, your not in Compliance then.

None of that falls on the PIC, it goes on the person who is suppose to do that task. Simple documentation protects you. I'm never going to go through the bays making sure there's never an expired drug, that's why they are assigned.

Same would go for the other stuff like a Medicare B issue would fall on the tech and pharmacist working at the time.

 

[King2440]

None of that falls on the PIC, it goes on the person who is suppose to do that task. Simple documentation protects you. I'm never going to go through the bays making sure there's never an expired drug, that's why they are assigned.

Same would go for the other stuff like a Medicare B issue would fall on the tech and pharmacist working at the time.

The thing most missed about delegation is proper follow up.

 

[King2440]

Guess what? That's addressed by either the monthly audit or who cares if an occasional address slips through the cracks (unless controlled, which should be addressed by the weekly CS script validation)

Assign a tech to a section of the pharmacy to zone and pull outdates => expired discovered => document performance shortfall => coaching if necessary

Medicare B error => document performance shortfall of pharmacist and tech => coach if necessary

Address mismatch => you're supposed to update address all the time => coaching if repeated issue & documented

PQCF => falls on the tech and pharmacist => document performance shortfall => coaching if necessary

And LOL@nitpicky compliance at Walmart 'cause even the file cabinet POM is not compliant with CSA if you follow it literally

I'm talking about basic **** like ensuring techs finish outdates on a weekend where you cannot schedule 4 people both days, 1 for pickup, 1 for bagging, 1 for filing and 1 for drop off and not nag the tech how to process RPH DUR or bag 3 orders the because you as a pharmacist suck at your job.

All that is true man. And whoa 4 techs on a weekend; we are lucky to have 2. It all comes down to human error and overload. WM is a cakewalk compared to many other companies, but we as RPh, have to realize that there are sometimes misses for “silly” things. Corporate is going to find a way to out rphs; I am def game for this, but as a company, it needs to be held to the same standard nationwide.

Knit picky does happen quite often. We’ve had DMs remove ceiling tiles and complain about the dust under the cracks..really!

 

[Sine Cura]

I was being sarcastic about 4 techs on the weekend because some of these pharmacists act like helpless kids even at 65-70/hr. I schedule 3 and 2 Sat and Sun respectively

One time the previous SVP visited a store in this market and noticed dust/cobwebs on the hanging signs at consultation. LOL

 

[kbv]

Delegate "PIC tasks" to your staff pharmacists and if they can't do it, hold them accountable

Is this how you treat your partner? Feel sorry for the person.

 

[kbv]

To the OP:
It’s ok to delegate the tasks, as long as you can make sure they can be handled by another person who is not a RXM manager. Always double check your managerial job description. Communication is the key. Let him or her know your situation and ask for understanding and cooperation. Be flexible and prioritize. Your days are not always busy. The pharmacy could be slow early in the day and/or late at night. Work wisely.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Is this how you treat your partner? Feel sorry for the person.

Treat?

The problem pics have is they think they have to do everything. Most things don't require the pic and their time can be used elsewhere.

 

[kbv]

Treat?

The problem pics have is they think they have to do everything. Most things don't require the pic and their time can be used elsewhere.

DICTIONARY
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treat
/trēt/
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verb

1. 1.
   behave toward or deal with in a certain way.
   "she had been brutally treated"
   

   synonyms:

   behave toward, act toward, conduct oneself toward, use, serve; More

 

[wagrxm2000]

DICTIONARY
Search for a word

treat
/trēt/
Learn to pronounce
verb

1. 1.
   behave toward or deal with in a certain way.
   "she had been brutally treated"
   

   synonyms:

   behave toward, act toward, conduct oneself toward, use, serve; More

So you think the staff shouldn't have any responsibilities? Gotcha.

 

[APN-59 rph]

Reading the above comments screams that being a druggist is a true profession...

 

[Sine Cura]

Seems like sour grapes that the world isn't fair (what's new)

Don't like it enough then quit