RXinsider | The Great Resignation: How Is It Impacting the Pharmacy Industry? (2024)

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RXinsider | The Great Resignation: How Is It Impacting the Pharmacy Industry? (1)

It’s being called the Great Resignation, and for good reason. During April, May, and June alone, more than 11 million people left their jobs. A survey of more than 30,000 people revealed that more than 40 percent are thinking about leaving their jobs.

What is driving this phenomenon? The primary driver is the disruption caused by COVID-19. Many have said that the time spent working remotely has caused them to think about their situation and their jobs. For many, the stress and burnout they experience are leading them to reevaluate. Others are angry about the decisions made by their employers during COVID-19, such as heavy-handed cost-cutting measures with little regard for the situation of workers.

Still, others are more concerned about work-life balance. They are tired of long commutes and long hours. Many workers are hesitant to return to their workplaces because they don’t believe their employers have taken the steps needed to protect workplaces from the virus.

And others are simply dissatisfied with the culture of their workplace. They feel that management does not communicate with them, takes them for granted, and does not recognize their contribution.

Why Pharmacists Are Leaving

More pharmacists are leaving their jobs as well. According to some in the profession, working conditions for pharmacists have deteriorated in recent years, and the pandemic was the straw that broke the camel’s back in many ways. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic also contributed to resignations.

People go into the pharmacy profession to help others, but more and more, they are forced into roles that remove them from the clinical side of their profession, they say. The business side of things has come to dominate, controlling what they do each day to an ever-greater extent. The stress levels for pharmacists have also increased dramatically, with burnout rates anywhere from 50 to 70 percent.

The younger generation of pharmacists also has different expectations and goals, valuing work-life balance more, as well as greater flexibility. And the pandemic has led many pharmacists to reevaluate their situation. They found more satisfaction with their jobs when working remotely because they were able to have more flexibility and spend more time with their family.

Employers can help improve working conditions for pharmacists and reduce stress levels in many ways – encouraging managers to prioritize staff well-being, basing salary on performance factors not connected to productivity, encouraging work-life balance and peer support, and providing mental health resources.

Find Top Talent

If you are an employer looking for pharmacists, Rx relief is ready to help you. We are one of the nation’s leading pharmacy placement firms. Rx relief has received Best of Staffing awards from both clients and talent. Find out what Rx relief can do for you!

RXinsider | The Great Resignation: How Is It Impacting the Pharmacy Industry? (2024)

FAQs

RXinsider | The Great Resignation: How Is It Impacting the Pharmacy Industry? ›

More pharmacists are leaving their jobs as well. According to some in the profession, working conditions for pharmacists have deteriorated in recent years, and the pandemic was the straw that broke the camel's back in many ways. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic also contributed to resignations.

Why are people leaving pharmacy? ›

A 2022 National Community Pharmacists Association survey showed that nearly 75% of respondents felt they did not have enough time to safely perform clinical duties and patient care. Stores often operate with just one pharmacist behind the counter for a 12 hour shift.

Why is there a shortage of pharmacists? ›

In 2022, there were 13,323 graduates from four-year pharmacy programs, down from 14,223 the previous year and the largest drop since 1983, per AACP data. Widely publicized staff walkouts in recent months have called attention to increased workload demands that pharmacists warned are making them more prone to errors.

Is the pharmacy industry crumbling in the US? ›

The tectonic plates beneath retail pharmaceuticals are shifting, and drugstores are falling. The total number of drugstores has been falling since 2015, but the trend has been particularly pronounced in rural areas, which have lost about 10 percent of their pharmacies in two decades.

Does the US need more pharmacists? ›

According to the AACP's Pharmacy Demand Report, there were a staggering 60,882 job postings for pharmacists in the first three quarters of 2023. This represented a remarkable 17.9% increase compared to the same period in 2022, which followed an impressive 11.6% leap from 2021.

What is the biggest problem in pharmacy today? ›

Another major challenge is the workforce shortage in the pharmacy industry. The volume of Covid tests and Covid vaccines that pharmacists had to provide “took its toll on the workforce” and since 2018, there has been about a 35% decrease in the number of pharmacists graduating from pharmacy school, Colaizzi claimed.

Why are pharmacies struggling? ›

One of their major concerns, understaffing. Protesters say the issue isn't a shortage of pharmacists or pharmacy techs. But a shortage of workers who want to do these jobs at big chain retail stores, where they say workers are already burning out.

Why are so many pharmacists leaving CVS? ›

Pharmacy workers say poor working conditions and understaffing are putting employees and patients at risk, with increased demands on staffers becoming untenable and preventing them from doing their jobs properly.

Why are pharmacists leaving CVS? ›

Pharmacists in other states voiced similar concerns. In California, for example, 91% of chain pharmacists surveyed by the state Board of Pharmacy in 2021 said they lacked the staff needed to ensure adequate patient care.

Why are pharmacists quitting Walgreens? ›

The move is in protest of working conditions that employees say have made it difficult to do their job. Pharmacy workers say they're facing staffing shortages that put patient safety at risk.

Is pharmacy a declining field? ›

Employment of pharmacists is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Why are so many pharmacies out of stock? ›

The putative reasons are manifold: As the Food and Drug Administration has scrambled to catch up on inspections of routine drug manufacturing facilities in the wake of pandemic closures, the deficits they're finding — and the production delays they're leading to — are piling up all at once, says Erin Fox, a doctor of ...

Why do pharmacists get paid so much? ›

Not only do pharmacists dispense drugs, but they are critical in making sure that prescribed medications are safe for patients. Because of this extensive training and knowledge, pharmacists are compensated with higher-than-average salaries. Most people understand that working as a pharmacist can be a well-paying job.

Which pharmacist has highest salary in USA? ›

High Paying Pharmacist Jobs
  • Chief Pharmacist. Salary range: $137,500-$166,500 per year. ...
  • Pharmacy Consultant. Salary range: $104,000-$163,500 per year. ...
  • Pharmacometrician. Salary range: $140,500-$162,500 per year. ...
  • Pharmacy Informaticist. ...
  • Hospital Pharmacist. ...
  • Pharmaceutical Physician. ...
  • Registered Pharmacist. ...
  • Inpatient Pharmacist.

Where do pharmacists make the most money? ›

States where pharmacists earn the most money
  • Oregon: $138,623 per year.
  • California: $140,079 per year.
  • Alaska: $146,084 per year.
  • Montana: $138,901 per year.
  • Virginia: $136,959 per year.
  • New Mexico: $139,644 per year.
  • Washington: $139,591 per year.
  • Colorado: $134,809 per year.
Nov 22, 2023

What state has the highest demand for pharmacists? ›

As expected, the more populous states such as California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania have the most pharmacist jobs.

Why are pharmacists walking out of Walgreens? ›

Why are pharmacy staff walking out? For years, many retail pharmacy employees have complained that companies such as Walgreens and CVS are placing unreasonable performance demands on employees, without providing enough staffing or resources for them to safely and responsibly execute tasks.

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