Chains

[Jackie B]

I've read many posts and threads here where people are complaining about whatever chain they work for. I was just wondering, is there anyone positive on this forum that enjoys working for a chain? What do you like about it?

Please don't be mean. It's an honest question.

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[kvl1027]

I've read many posts and threads here where people are complaining about whatever chain they work for. I was just wondering, is there anyone positive on this forum that enjoys working for a chain? What do you like about it?

Please don't be mean. It's an honest question.

I have heard nightmares from friends and colleagues about CVS, but I dont have any personal experience with them so it is all just word of mouth. RXNUPE on this forum is very pro-CVS so if you want to hear something positive about that company you should talk to him.

I have another friend who works for Walmart and is pretty happy. He says the day is pretty boring, (retail) but the company is not too bad. Pharmacists get a lunch break and the benefits are pretty good.

I dont know what part of the world you are in, but I have a little experience with Publix and there pharmacy jobs are usually pretty easy and laid back. Most of them run on a fairly low volume and the hours are pretty good. It is also a great company to work for in terms of stock options and retirement benefits.

I would imagine that Wags and CVS are fairly similar, but have heard that CVS is a little more NAZI-like with regards to metrics and BS productivity numbers, but just word of mouth from friends and colleagues.

 

[Unchained]

Rite-Aid is on the edge of oblivion and they manage their employees as such.

Wal-Mart has probably become best in class over the years. Thousands of lawsuits have forced them to treat their employees well. I have found they offer the most tech hours per scripts filled. You also get lunch breaks and holidays. Downside is you are just another department and are treated as such by the store manager.

CVS has become the worst in class over the last 5 years. First they merged with a company which is anti pharmacy. Then Tom Ryan who believed in taking care of employees was replaced by Larry Merlo who has instituted Nazi-like standards which has created massive turnover. They are trying to make a failed model work and are placing the burden on the backs of their employees. The better pharmacists are running away from that place. RxNupe will probably be the last holdout.

Walgreens seems to be taking a different direction over the last few years. Instead of low quality high quantity pharmacy like CVS they are trying to become more of a healthcare provider offering different services. It will be curious to see if it works out.

 

[rph3664]

If you're in the upper Midwest, Hy-Vee is a good company to work for. Their store volumes can be widely variable, even within the same town. Meijer and Kroger stores also treat their pharmacists well, by all accounts. Shopko, which interestingly is mostly in the upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, is also a company that's usually good to work for, although the one in my old city wasn't but it was because of the management.

I'd be hesitant to work for Kmart, because that whole company is teetering on the edge too.

 

[PharmEcon]

I know a couple people in supermarkets who are very happy and have read a few accounts elsewhere of supermarket pharmacists who were also happy. In particular, the companies were Safeway and Pathmark, but I don't know if things are really great or if these people are just outliers or maybe their stores/districts are outliers as I haven't looked into it too much.