In a rapidly evolving pharmacy landscape, effective workforce planning and recruitment have never been more crucial. To help pharmacy owners and managers navigate these challenges, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia recently hosted an exclusive webinar featuring two industry leaders: Heidi Dariz, General Manager at Raven’s Recruitment, and Andrew Pattinson from Guild Group.
The session provided valuable insights into strategic workforce planning, best practices for recruitment, and long-term retention strategies all aimed at helping pharmacies secure and sustain a high-performing team.
Key Takeaways from the Webinar
What Pharmacists Looked for in an Employer
As Heidi Dariz outlined, attracting top-tier pharmacy talent required more than just offering a competitive salary. While remuneration remained important, modern pharmacists placed increasing emphasis on:
✅ Work-Life Balance – The demand for reasonable hours, flexible shifts, and mental health support had grown.
✅ Positive Workplace Culture – Pharmacists sought supportive leadership, mentorship, and workplace appreciation.
✅ Career Development – Opportunities for professional growth and specialisation made a significant impact on job satisfaction.
✅ Competitive Benefits – Transparent salary structures, relocation support, and retention bonuses were key differentiators.
Pharmacies that proactively addressed these factors positioned themselves as employers of choice in a competitive job market.
Refining the Recruitment Process
The webinar also highlighted the importance of a structured and efficient recruitment process. Dariz broke this down into three essential steps:
🔹 Step 1: Writing an Effective Job Advertisement
Many pharmacy job ads focused on what the employer wanted, rather than what would attract top candidates. Dariz recommended that an engaging job ad should include:
✔ A compelling company profile – What made the pharmacy unique?
✔ Clear benefits – Salary transparency, career growth opportunities, and flexibility.
✔ Defined role expectations – A clear breakdown of duties.
✔ A strong call to action – Encouraging candidates to apply without hesitation.
🔹 Step 2: Conducting a Meaningful Interview
The interview process was not just an assessment of the candidate, but also an opportunity for the candidate to evaluate the employer. The best practices discussed included:
💡 Ensuring the interview was a conversation, not an interrogation.
💡 Discussing salary expectations early to prevent delays in decision-making.
💡 Following up quickly - as slow processes often resulted in losing top candidates to competitors.
🔹 Step 3: The Job Offer & Onboarding
A common mistake pharmacy owners made was delaying the job offer. Dariz emphasised the importance of acting fast once the right candidate was identified.
💼 Best practices for job offers and onboarding included:
✔ Making an initial verbal offer, followed by a written contract within24 hours.
✔ Creating a structured onboarding process to ensure new hires felt supported.
✔ Providing mentorship and role clarity to help new employees integrate seamlessly into the team.
Retaining High-Quality Employees
Hiring a great pharmacist was only half the challenge - keeping them engaged and motivated for the long term was just as critical.
Key strategies for retention included:
🔹Career Development Support– Offering CPD opportunities, leadership training, and clear progression pathways.
🔹Building a Positive Workplace Culture– Strong team relationships and workplace appreciation reduced staff turnover.
🔹Financial Incentives– Retention bonuses, additional paid leave, and professional development funding encouraged longevity.
🔹Open Communication– Regular check-ins helped identify and resolve potential concerns before they escalated.
💡Case Study Highlighted in the Webinar:
Many rural pharmacies had successfully reduced turnover by offering mentorship programs, housing assistance, and sign-on bonuses. A small investment in employee satisfaction often led to long-term staff retention and loyalty.
Final Thoughts: Future-Proofing Pharmacy Workforces
The webinar underscored a crucial point: pharmacies that prioritised strategic recruitment and employee retention would have a significant competitive advantage.
By understanding what pharmacists wanted, refining the hiring process, and investing in long-term retention, pharmacy owners could build a workforce that was high-performing, motivated, and future-ready.
For those who needed tailored recruitment support, Heidi Dariz encouraged reaching out to Raven’s Recruitment, which had been specialising in pharmacy staffing for over 35 years. She also recommended downloading the latest Pharmacy Salary & Market Report for further insights.
📩 Interested in refining your hiring strategy? Contact heidi@ravensrecruitment.com.au or visit Raven’s Recruitment’s website for more information.
What changes are you planning to implement in your recruitment strategy following this webinar? 🚀
