Recruiting and keeping good technicians

[rphola123]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Can someone please provide some insights on how to recruit technicians and how to deal with situation of technicians calling out/ no call no shows etc. I am finding it really hard recruiting technicians

 

[princeafrica]

Walgreens?

 

[rphola123]

Walmart

 

[pencilandpen]

the main issue with techs is that it is a job that requires a lot of work for very little pay. if a tech is a good tech and he/she is smart enough, they would eventually grow out of that position and move on to something more worthwhile.

 

[grumpyRph]

i think it's important to set a good example as a rph. don't act too good to do tech work. be an example of how you would want a tech to work.

take the out/in window once in a while and let your tech fill so you can handle some of the customers. give your tech a break from the customers. they can do tech stuff freely in the back ground and let their mind re-set a bit.

i suppose this would be a good way to retain a tech. but training just comes with experience. they have to handle so many different problems and they will just *get* it eventually like we all did.

 

[JustFillIt]

This thread gives me anxiety.. Building a competent team is a years long process that takes so much effort. If you, as a manager, do not know how to inspire people then it’s a very difficult road that is ripe with heartache.

The key to retention without talking about money is - creating a safe, welcoming, and gracious work environment where respect is strong. Inspire confidence in you as a leader by making sure that your people know that you believe in them first. By having your people buy into you first, you will give them the confidence they need to return the favor.

Proving that your not too good for technician work is circumstantial. In my situation I have trained my technicians to do everything the law allows and it is important for them to know that it is their job. When there is one pharmacist on duty and hundreds of Rx are being processed - it is in everyone’s best interest that the pharmacist does not run a register.

Your team will not judge you on the tasks that you do, they will judge you on the attitude that you have when doing your task.

 

[Stella14]

Hate to say it but nowadays good technicians are not going to stay in retail unless it fits their lifestyle ( schedule with kids/spouse/going to school) or they are getting paid well.
Once they get experience and certified they are probably going to jump ship for a hiring paying job with less BS. Pharmacy or not. Wouldn’t you?

I’m now in hospital and We are having revolving door taking retail techs, giving them IV training and experience and then leaving us for better paying, better schedule Home Healthcare jobs. It’s getting ridiculous on our end as well. It is really a technician market now.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PharmDBro2017]

the main issue with techs is that it is a job that requires a lot of work for very little pay. if a tech is a good tech and he/she is smart enough, they would eventually grow out of that position and move on to something more worthwhile.

Truth.

That's why as a manager/PIC/director, it is your job to recognize your great/competent technicians, give them raises and make them feel appreciated... thereby keeping them on the team. a 10-20 year technician is worth their weight in gold and the manager should be fighting to give them raises whenever they can. Was happy to get one of mine an almost 25% raise recently.

 

[Sine Cura]

Finding new techs - look at local tech schools (if there are any). WM hiring system is a joke to the point that MHWDs even suggest posting listings on Indeed...

Hire only new techs and screen out people based on answers to simple behavioral questions that suggest anything other than taking ownership of mistakes and learning from mistakes. Don't be afraid to train them on how you want things to be done.

Keep everyone part-time until they are proven reliable workers. Your only effective tool against call outs and bull**** limited availability claims is to cut hours. True NCNS need to be flagged as such to get rid of people faster.

Be fair and consistent when meting out discipline.

Easier said than done.

Ultimately retail is going to be a revolving door because of the fact that techs take a lot of the brunt of dealing with the worthless scum of society so have the mentality of always looking for new techs.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Can someone please provide some insights on how to recruit technicians and how to deal with situation of technicians calling out/ no call no shows etc. I am finding it really hard recruiting technicians

Try building up rapport and comradeship with your techs. Buy them pizza once a week. Ask them about their lives, how you can improve them. Hang out with them after work. If they think you care about them they will respect you and not call off. that being said very hard to find decent talent if you are only paying them 8-15 USD a hour.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Finding new techs - look at local tech schools (if there are any). WM hiring system is a joke to the point that MHWDs even suggest posting listings on Indeed...

Hire only new techs and screen out people based on answers to simple behavioral questions that suggest anything other than taking ownership of mistakes and learning from mistakes. Don't be afraid to train them on how you want things to be done.

Keep everyone part-time until they are proven reliable workers. Your only effective tool against call outs and bull**** limited availability claims is to cut hours. True NCNS need to be flagged as such to get rid of people faster.

Be fair and consistent when meting out discipline.

Easier said than done.

Ultimately retail is going to be a revolving door because of the fact that techs take a lot of the brunt of dealing with the worthless scum of society so have the mentality of always looking for new techs.

"with the worthless scum of society"

Dude I reread that statement like 15 times and i'm thinking, what must have gone wrong in your life for you to hate a part of your community that badly.

 

[Sine Cura]

"with the worthless scum of society"

Dude I reread that statement like 15 times and i'm thinking, what must have gone wrong in your life for you to hate a part of your community that badly.

Do you even work or have ever worked in retail?

inb4 citation needed

 

[maria1oh]

Try to sign up as a preceptor for tech schools and pharmacy schools. Helps to bring in cheap/free labor.

 

[Slippers]

recruiting technicians = easy
recruiting GOOD technicians that don't quit and go somewhere else after 4-6 months = hard
How to do above: pay them more than $8-10/hour. Actually give them a raise and actually reward them for performance.

So basically, don't work for a large retail chain

Disclaimer: I've never hired techs, but I sure know what makes them leave.

 

[SoylentGreen]

As for attendance, are you excusing absences that shouldn't be excused? Walmart's attendance policy is very lenient and you should terminate anyone who goes over the limit. If you don't, not only do you have to deal with that person indefinitely, but others will get the message that it's ok to call in, and they will also be stressed out from having to work short handed and will tend to want to leave.

If you are enforcing the policy and you have people who push absences almost but not quite to the limit, you can cut their hours. Only hire part timers unless it's someone you have a really good reason to believe will work out, and if they're not working out, don't give them many hours.

 

[ES300h]

Can someone please provide some insights on how to recruit technicians and how to deal with situation of technicians calling out/ no call no shows etc. I am finding it really hard recruiting technicians

I bet it is really hard right now to recruit techs. The economy is good and employers are paying out of their nose for people that are good at what they do.
I would need to know more about the culture and environment in which your techs work... It could be numerous reasons why they are behaving that way.

 

[Sparda29]

Owner I work for starts the super-tech at $17/hr and moves them to $25/hr after 3 months with yearly bonuses at least $1k. They also get $50 per profitable patient that they bring in (patients on multiple meds etc).

 

[spacecowgirl]

Do you even work or have ever worked in retail?

inb4 citation needed

I haven't worked retail for a long time but I did work in retail a long time, about 10 years PT. Tech->intern->floater and it truly can be the most soul-sucking job. Fun coworkers is the only thing that can make it bearable at some stores. People treat you like utter ****, which is one thing when you're paid six figures (not excusable but easier to swallow), but when you're making relative peanuts, why put yourself through that.

I would say treating techs like trained professionals, having them work at the top of their license, being appreciative and going to bat for them with customers, with DMs, store managers - all good steps. It's rough though.

 

[M0df]

90% luck 10% skill

Luck - city/area you are located in simply has no other jobs for your techs to move on to.
Skill - creating good work environment.

Unless you are independent, you have limited control over salary and raises your techs receive. You have limited control over weekly hours they get and/or 'MySchedule' type they have to work. There is no upward mobility besides 'promotion' to lead tech type position.

As far as call outs. An employee moves into category of not worth it... very quickly with enough call outs. All you are left with is hiring quickly enough and training fast enough for the next person to fill in the spot.

In reference to what Sparda said. Isn't NYC minimum wage is set at $15 now? So $17/hour is very close to that. Those good techs are going to be making $30+ soon enough.

 

[DagS132]

My biggest issue was the training part. I was literally just put into action on day 1 and I had to keep asking for help from other technicians. And the other technicians seemed so frustrated I didn't know how to solve these problems. If I had some kind of binder or book with common issues and how to solve issues or even a book on how to use the software on the computer would have eased my anxiety. I eventually quit just after 1 month and got a higher paying job as a cashier.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Do you even work or have ever worked in retail?

inb4 citation needed

yes...

 

[Modest_anteater]

Owner I work for starts the super-tech at $17/hr and moves them to $25/hr after 3 months with yearly bonuses at least $1k. They also get $50 per profitable patient that they bring in (patients on multiple meds etc).

17 USD an hour. Wow a whole 2 bucks above minimum wage. What a generous wage. Pretty sure starbucks pay more on broadway. I like the referral idea though.

 

[Deja]

Try building up rapport and comradeship with your techs. Buy them pizza once a week. Ask them about their lives, how you can improve them. Hang out with them after work. If they think you care about them they will respect you and not call off. that being said very hard to find decent talent if you are only paying them 8-15 USD a hour.

you have the basic idea down, but some of the specifics you mentioned will not work and shouldn't be done... are you a pharmacist? have you trained techs before?

 

[Sparda29]

17 USD an hour. Wow a whole 2 bucks above minimum wage. What a generous wage. Pretty sure starbucks pay more on broadway. I like the referral idea though.

I think that $15/hr minimum wage doesn't take affect until the end of this year (it does if you have more than 11 employees). Right now it's still $11.10/hr. I remember when I was making $14.50/hr as a P4 intern and $8.50/hr as a tech at CVS.

 

[grumpyRph]

my market is unionized for better or for worse. but that at least keeps the tech's pay and benefit higher than the national average.

 

[Modest_anteater]

you have the basic idea down, but some of the specifics you mentioned will not work and shouldn't be done... are you a pharmacist? have you trained techs before?

Are you implying it's unprofessional to hangout with employees outside of work? because I disagree.

 

[DrVader]

Can someone please provide some insights on how to recruit technicians and how to deal with situation of technicians calling out/ no call no shows etc. I am finding it really hard recruiting technicians

Be really really nice to your techs. I worked with a pharmacist that buys the techs lunch everyday. Gives away gift cards. The truth is that the car wash from my cvs pays their people as much as our techs. Any tech worth their salt will leave retail once they have enough experience for LTC or hospital.

 

[Deja]

Are you implying it's unprofessional to hangout with employees outside of work? because I disagree.

no that's not what I mean... but hey if that's how you are managing your techs and it's working for you then more power to you, I was speaking on my own experience and some of the stories ive heard

your way may work if you are only managing one or 2 techs

 

[Modest_anteater]

no that's not what I mean... but hey if that's how you are managing your techs and it's working for you then more power to you, I was speaking on my own experience and some of the stories ive heard

your way may work if you are only managing one or 2 techs

I've never managed pharm technicians. I have managed electrical union techs though. I have also managed others in different job occupations.

 

[Deja]

I've never managed pharm technicians. I have managed electrical union techs though. I have also managed others in different job occupations.

'errrrrrrrr okayyyy lol and you bought pizza for them every week and was buddy buddy with them after work? and how many people did you manage? what was your job title? were you an actual supervisor?

 

[Deja]

I've never managed pharm technicians. I have managed electrical union techs though. I have also managed others in different job occupations.

shoot nvm you don't have to answer any of the questions... I have seen your posts and sorry for being rude, but you are one weird dude lol

 

[Momus]

'errrrrrrrr okayyyy lol and you bought pizza for them every week and was buddy buddy with them after work? and how many people did you manage? what was your job title? were you an actual supervisor?

I know a couple staffs and managers in multiple stores do this. They go out to the bar, celebrate birthday at Dave n busters or have a movie night together. They invited me to hang out with them when I floated to their stores for random OT. It's not a problem.

I notice they are all very close in age +/- 5 yrs, close to my age too.

 

[Deja]

I know a couple staffs and managers in multiple stores do this. They go out to the bar, celebrate birthday at Dave n busters or have a movie night together. They invited me to hang out with them when I floated to their stores for random OT. It's not a problem.

I notice they are all very close in age +/- 5 yrs, close to my age too.

go out to bars with your staff when you guys are around the same age... yeah no problems at all lol please refrain from giving 2nd hand advice if you've never done it... just because you "seen" it a couple of times doesn't count

going out for bday is fine... I guess the main point is there is a fine line you have to walk to not be seen as their buddy buddy, you run the risk of having no authority over them and everything you say will be like a joke

 

[Momus]

go out to bars with your staff when you guys are around the same age... yeah no problems at all lol please refrain from giving 2nd hand advice if you've never done it... just because you "seen" it a couple of times doesn't count

going out for bday is fine

I went out with them and worked at the stores, they are all chill. It's one of the easiest stores to work in when the manager and all the coworkers treat each other as friends.

 

[Deja]

I went out with them and worked at the stores, they are all chill. It's one of the easiest stores to work for when the manager and all the coworkers treat each other as friends.

read my edit... and you were a float its different

 

[Momus]

read my edit... and you were a float its different

Don't care, coz from what I've seen they respect the managers and have a good working relationship in those stores.

There is no blanket rule how you are supposed to manage subordinates. One of the worst store I work in, the managers are very standoffish with the techs and no one likes her/him and tech badmouth the manager as soon as she/he isn't around. I'd rather work in a former store.

 

[Sine Cura]

For some reason a few of my immediate predecessors (at CVS and at Walmart) would hang out with the techs. Now the way they ran their pharmacies was a ****-show (******ed techs abusing the attendance policy and not knowing how to do their job) but being buddy-buddy with techs doesn't help. There are other ways to maintain good workplace morale without buying pizza or celebrating birthdays.

This is a job. If you don't like it try your luck getting into lolKaiser

 

[Modest_anteater]

'errrrrrrrr okayyyy lol and you bought pizza for them every week and was buddy buddy with them after work? and how many people did you manage? what was your job title? were you an actual supervisor?

shoot nvm you don't have to answer any of the questions... I have seen your posts and sorry for being rude, but you are one weird dude lol

Momus already answered for me.

 

[Deja]

Don't care, coz from what I've seen they respect the managers and have a good working relationship in those stores.

There is no blanket rule how you are supposed to manage subordinates. One of the worst store I work in, the managers are very standoffish with the techs and no one likes her/him and tech badmouth the manager as soon as she/he isn't around. I'd rather work in a former store.

dude no one is saying to be ice cold with your techs... but being buddy buddy with your techs can be bad like sine cura also mentioned... in what other professional jobs do you see the boss being your best friend? have you ever trained techs from ground up? or have you always floated or worked in places where techs are already trained?

 

[Momus]

One of the coolest place I worked in, the entire staff get on discord to chat. Manager staff and techs play league of legends like every other day for 3-4 hours a night . 2 girls and 4 guys, 2 older techs aren't participating. So, at work all they talk is games: Pokémon, Starcraft 2, FFXV, and league of legends.

I managed for 2 yrs. My techs were awesome. We used to hang out once in a while but they were all girls. Hanging out at the bar and sometimes going on a hike are pretty much it. I still wrote them up if they slack. Document deficiencies and make them sign the book.

What are you trying to say again?

 

[owlegrad]

Well it is going to surprise no one that I fall on the "do not be friends with your techs" side of the argument. Being friendly is good. Trying to actually be friends, probably not so much. Your job is to supervise them and you cannot do that effectively when you are friends with them. Well, maybe some people can but that has not been my experience nor have I seen it done effectively.

 

[Deja]

One of the coolest place I worked in, the entire staff get on discord to chat. Manager staff and techs play league of legends like every other day for 3-4 hours a night . 2 girls and 4 guys, 2 older techs aren't participating. So, at work all they talk is games: Pokémon, Starcraft 2, FFXV, and league of legends.

I managed for 2 yrs. My techs were awesome. We used to hang out once in a while but they were all girls. Hanging out at the bar and sometimes going on a hike are pretty much it. I still wrote them up if they slack. Document deficiencies and make them sign the book.

What are you trying to say again?

I already said my reasoning and other ppl also supported it... what do you mean what am I trying to say? owlegrad summarized it pretty well

Ive worked at places where everyone is friends and it's pretty cool when it works, but to suggest that as a common thing that should be practiced in a professional working environment is risky

 

[Momus]

I already said my reasoning and other ppl also supported it... what do you mean what am I trying to say? owlegrad summarized it pretty well

Ive worked at places where everyone is friends and it's pretty cool when it works, but to suggest that as a common thing that should be practiced in a professional working environment is risky

Thanks for agreeing that being friends with your techs is not a problem. One type of managing style is not always correct. kthxbye.

 

[JustFillIt]

I’m going to weigh in here..

The only way being “friends” works is if you are confident enough to continue to be able to hold someone accountable when necessary. The tricky part is - when you become friends they tend to discover dirt, or otherwise learn of stuff about you that would level the playing field when it comes to accountability. One of the hard parts of management is to always be in a position where collateral damage is not possible or at least minimal. In other words you have to “rise above the rest”.

Being friends often leads to letting your guard down, and letting your guard down means you loose face.

Once you loose face playing the accountability card is much more difficult. Without the ability to play the accountability card, you are no longer a manager.

That’s why it’s not a good idea unless your squeaky clean.. And - who wants to be friends with someone who is squeaky clean anyway?

 

[Modest_anteater]

One of the coolest place I worked in, the entire staff get on discord to chat. Manager staff and techs play league of legends like every other day for 3-4 hours a night . 2 girls and 4 guys, 2 older techs aren't participating. So, at work all they talk is games: Pokémon, Starcraft 2, FFXV, and league of legends.

I managed for 2 yrs. My techs were awesome. We used to hang out once in a while but they were all girls. Hanging out at the bar and sometimes going on a hike are pretty much it. I still wrote them up if they slack. Document deficiencies and make them sign the book.

What are you trying to say again?

This guy gets it. The best work environment you have is one cohesive team with no BS. IT's fun but can be hard to pull off. When you are bros with everyone at work it makes the day go by fast and makes it a lot more fun. I get that the guy is trying to say u gotta be all PC and do it that way. Do you want to be respected or liked by your employees?

 

[JustFillIt]

Do you want to be respected or liked by your employees?

You really can be both though without having LAN parties with your team. “employees” are only coming to work for one reason - that reason is to provide for their family. One way you can be “liked” is by providing a safe, comfortable, and fair workplace. You do this by leveraging policies to protect your people who are working well and remove people who are not working out.

Employees will like their manager when the manager facilitates an environment where they know that their family will be provided for.

 

[Sine Cura]

LOL @ being liked.

Being buddies with subordinates doesn't help. Sure you can still write people up for screwing up, but if you generate the appearance of playing favorites good luck getting your discipline to hold up in a corporate environment if someone wants to get back at you. Knives out when it suits people

Also who in their right mind wants to hang out with subordinates outside of work?