As news about overwhelmed pharmacies and understaffed stores reaches a fever pitch, CVS has responded quickly to address the issue. In response to CVS pharmacists frustrated with their workload, the pharmacy has promised to quickly hire more employees and expand opening hours.
The near-term crisis was ignited by a recent decision to expand the types of services and procedures CVS returns can offer customers during certain times of the day. This change in protocol has led to an increased workload on some pharmacists, who began to express their struggles to management. After much discussion in the community, CVS responded in a remarkable fashion, hiring additional staff and expanding the already busy stores’ hours.
Along with the plethora of interviews offered to pharmacists by CVS, the pharmacy has also promised an increase in wages to help encourage potential employees to consider and accept the position. The wage increase of 2% across all positions, effecting pharmacists and their assistants alike, is not only meant to help with retention, but also show those already within the company a gesture of appreciation for their hard work and effort.
The announcement is extraordinary not simply because of its capacity to quickly address the problems CVS faces, but also because it was made after the initial complaints were heard from the pharmacists. Instead of just having a reactionary approach, CVS actively worked to bring on more employees quickly while continuing to maintain customer service.
It has been a long road for not only CVS, but also for its pharmacists. Only with the promise of more staff and proliferation of hours, can the pharmacy continue to provide the optimal amount of service that it is used to. With CVS’s proactive approach and commitment to its staff, the future can be a bright one and customers hoping to receive their medications and have their prescriptions filled can rest a little easier.