The Great Resignation just hit my store (probably long, sorry)

[Trixie]

TL;DR Half of the staff in my store is leaving or left because the company sucks.

For the last two years, my store has been pretty lucky with our staffing. There were some openings but they were filled, even in the middle of the pandemic. Some left with health issues and a few left for new jobs because the company treated them like shit. Two were fired for stupid shit that was easily prevented. We were chugging along fine even if it was bumpy at times. Well, that ended this year.

I guess I could say that it started in Nov. 2021 because one of the shift leads retired. Her last day was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving but we knew it was coming so we were prepared. The holidays come and...a pharmacist, two techs and the store manager get covid. The week before Christmas. This sets the stage for 2022.

The first 2 1/2 months pass, just normal corporate stuff. Then 2 pharmacy techs quit with a couple weeks of each other. One got replaced right away. The other spot was filled a couple weeks ago. Now they're back fully staffed. Until one of the pharmacists put her notice in. Pharmacy hours get cut because there's nobody to fill the pharmacist's job. Ha, unintended pun! Well, then the fun moved to the front of the store. This is probably where it's get long.

About a month ago we find out that our assistant manager is getting promoted to store manager to a store down the street from us that has a sudden opening. That store manager is leaving to take a job with Amazon after working with the company for 20ish years. Now this leaves us without a #2. Then last week the store manager asks me to come to the office ("Don't worry, you're not in trouble.") She tells me she put her notice in and her last day is the following week. She's with the company 22 years and at this store for 16. Almost unheard of at least in this company but they aren't building stores and moving people like they used to. For the last week there was no word on who her replacement was until probably Thursday but it was official on Friday, store manager's last day. New guy has been around the block with the company and we know who he is and should be pretty decent to work with once we all get used to each other.

Which now brings us to this week. One of our shift leads had to leave town for a memorial so he's off for 4-5 days leaving our truck day short-handed. Store manager and a shift lead unload truck at 5 AM. Closing shift lead had to go to a doctor's appointment, pushing her start time back a few hours. The only one to cover is the store manager, who's been there since 5 AM. Yes, the day before she hangs it all up is a 12 hour day. A couple of days this week the one pharmacist that we still have took a few days for "reasons" so they had newbie floaters coming in to work. Except they don't know shit and the pharmacy got backed up. Like 300 prescriptions backed up. Yesterday, the floater pharmacist didn't even show up so the pharmacy was closed.

But wait, we're not done yet! I come in to find out that the pharmacy manager put his notice in! And following that two of the techs put their notice in because he's leaving. Rumor has it that the other 3 (including the 2 new hires) will be following suit. Which if you've been following will leave ZERO pharmacy staff. Except for the new mystery pharmacy manager that's already got the job.

Do you think we're done now?? Psh, of course not. There was still today! Sunday Funday for sure!! My shift started at two, I get there to find that the midshift person called off. Did I mention that we've been busy all week because HOLIDAY! Our photo lab was nonstop yesterday and today, like every other day this week. But that was the morning, evening is covered and we'll get through it! Oh how hopeful and naive I was until 2:45 this afternoon. I had no intention of sharing any of this (even with the details from yesterday) but today's event pushed this whole thing over the edge for me.



Now for the exciting conclusion!!!

Closing cashier (a narsissitic frat boy) comes in 15 minutes before he's supposed to start with a fucking resignation letter effective immediately and turned in his name badge. He worked the last two nights. I worked with him last night! The only red flag now looking back was he complained about getting too many hours after requesting more hours since he's off from school for the summer. I ended up working my second 9 hour shift this week but hey, I did get some free pizza for it.

This is what our new store manager is walking into tomorrow morning. Oh, and we still don't have an assistant manager.


Thanks to anyone who stayed for this epic journey. Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Kristev]

It sounds as chaotic as Wal-Mart! The only thing there you could count on was that you couldn't dare count on anything.

[Ghel]

Sounds a bit like the local branch of the pharmacy my fiancé used to use. They kept shortening their pharmacy hours. I thought it was due to the pandemic at first, but then they changed their hours to 9-5 M-F. Neither of us can get to the pharmacy before 5:00 on a weekday. After a few weeks of this, it seems obvious they either can't or won't hire another pharmacist, so we moved all our prescriptions to another pharmacy that's open evenings and weekends.

[Trixie]

I'm not at the three letter one. Seems they're pulling my company's staff over there. The gossip is the company is doing a restructuring and they aren't doing anything to keep people there. Of course not. They can clean house of high paying people without it looking bad for the stockholders.

The new store manager took charge today. It's gonna be a change. He has a different style of leading. It may not mesh with everyone, including me so we'll see how it goes. I think he's already got the shifts covered that the pretty boy gave up. I know I'll be getting some OT from it and I won't be doing anymore than 5 days in a row.

Honestly, this is the most excitement we've had in the store in a long time.

[csquared]

Join the crowd. Will any of the former managers take you with?

[Trixie]

Join the crowd. Will any of the former managers take you with?

Nobody that left is going anywhere that would help me. In August I'm going to hit 20 years in this job. I never thought I'd do anything for that long in my life. Probably a silly reason but still. I'm going to ride it out until then but try to figure out my next steps. Most likely something less peoplely.

[Trixie]

First week in with the new store manager and honestly he hasn't had much of a chance do much of anything. Slowly things are changing but nothing major. He's still trying to cover the shifts that Pretty Boy had. I took 2 and it's overtime for me.

Yesterday was our truck day and everything had to get put away because our annual inventory was today. The closing manager and I stayed an extra 1 1/2 hours to get it all done. Fun fact all the lights except emergency lights go off at midnight. The good news is that all of the truck got put up but the rest of the store. Well, let's not talk about that. This morning I got in at 11 and....no inventory people. Didn't call and didn't hear anything about it. So that's a thing. I'm sure we'll find out eventually. At least now we have some time to get things straightened up. Store manager took advantage of the situation and is going into all the nooks and crannies to clean it up. I was warned that if I had anything stashed anywhere (I don't) to take care of. Seems that no spot is safe! That's probably a good thing because we're getting some renovations to the store in about a month. They're taking out more stuff than I thought so that should be fun.

And in other news today was the pharmacy manager's last day. The clique that works back there all brought in stuff and kept it all in the pharmacy. I mean why should they invite everyone in the store to go in on something. It's not like everyone up front has been working with him longer than them. Doesn't matter since three of them are leaving next week. No loss. I mean it is but upper management will figure it out. Chances are good that they'll be closed tomorrow (like last Saturday) so the front end will be handling questions and concerns from patients regarding any business they may have. (Getting blamed and yelled at because I showed up to work.)

Going into next week will probably be more of the same since I don't think they've worked out the details of the new manager coming in yet. There's supposed to be a couple of floater pharmacists coming in to cover. It didn't get well last week. But again, upper management will figure it out.

This is the most excitement we've had, well ever!

[depechemodefan]

Back in '93 or '94 I used to work as a pharmacy tech. I rememeber I used to sub a lot at other stores. I remember one store I used to sub at oneday one pharmacist was showing the other pharmacist a guy's crocheted underwear that had a bell attached. The bell would ring when the guy got hard. I don't remember much from subbing, though one day the po-po showed up and arrested the manager. I think he just owed a parking ticket or some small thing like that. Of course we all discussed what it was and we thought bad things. Luckily not the worse like murder or pimping.

[Trixie]

So we're about 6 weeks into the new manager's leadership and...it's a barely contained wildfire. Things are still beyond crazy.

The pharmacy still isn't really staffed. They're behind by hundreds of prescriptions. The hours are still limited. Everyone that works back there now is either from other stores or brand new. I guess people are used to it now because the complaints have dropped. Or maybe they moved on to another store for their business. The Regional Manager is supposedly working to get our store back to full speed buuuuut...we'll see.

We are at the very end of a store remodel. It's ugly and just very bland. They put up faux brick wallpaper and stock photos of our "average" customer. As one customer said "it looks trashy". He wasn't wrong. They also moved pretty much every department and renumbered our aisles so nobody has any clue where stuff is.

The front end is getting by, mostly. We lost a shift lead who moved to be closer to family (and also hated the store). We have 4 full time people, 1 part timer who works 1-2 days a week and one who works maybe once a month just to stay on the payroll but she may not hang around. So, of course, this leaves shifts barely covered. New store manager wonders why we're falling behind on things or things aren't getting done. Speaking of which, he's a 180 from the former manager and the ones before her. He's a "if you can lean, you can clean" type. Always asking what you're working on and pointing you in a direction of something that needs to be done. I am not that type. Even if I'm in the middle of a few different things I have to take a breather to figure out what I'm doing next and I frequently kinda stare off into the distance.

Next on the agenda for next month are we're finally getting our inventory, store manager is taking a vacation, assistant manager is taking a vacation, hopefully pharmacy stabilizes and the store manager is planning on having a one-on-one sit down with everyone. I'm sure it will go fine and we can work together to make our store a more positive place to work. Or get a lecture on everything we do wrong and everything we need to do. Like threaten people with signing up for a credit card. Because we have to OR ELSE!

[depechemodefan]

Like threaten people with signing up for a credit card. Because we have to OR ELSE!

ugh, I hated when I was first hired by the bookstore they told me I had to sell credit cards. Luckily in a month or two that was dropped.