With a large number of pharmacy owners Australia-wide struggling to secure Pharmacists for their businesses, one of the most commonly asked questions we are getting is “what’s going on?”
I think the question should be more “why is this happening?”
Of course, the comparatively low salaries are one of the reasons we are given when someone approaches us for part-time work because they are returning to study medicine or something not even associated with the health industry. Yes - we’ve had Pharmacists say they are studying engineering, law, teaching and even one saying graphic art!
Overwhelmingly though, the two other main contenders to take out the “why” question is lack of support and rosters. They feel the staffing ratio often has them constantly under the pump and the rosters don’t allow for healthy work/life balance.
They basically feel they are squeezed to the point of having to make a change.
The take-away from this is you don’t want to be losing your good people if you can avoid it. Be part of the solution and help make Pharmacy a “Career of Choice” by being an “Employer of Choice”; and start by asking “how?”
- as published in Pharmacy Daily as the Weekly Comment on 7 August 2017.
For more information on market trends, contact Debbie Capuano, Recruitment Consultant on 1800 429 829 or debbie@ravensrecruitment.com.au.
