Thread regarding CVS layoffs

I work in a very small cvs pharmacy. Store managers have came and gone. A few of them were the SM of my pharmacy and also the neighboring small town cvs. For the last two months we have not had any “store manager” and we do have somewhat of a front store so it does require the same expectations as any other cvs. They have demolished the front store hours. The pharmacy manager.. which is overworked and stressed out. In constant fear that someone could potentially die because of the overwhelming amount of work. Has had many sleepless nights wondering if things are going to change or if they should call it quits. Now my PIC is required to take over front store manager duties. Not to mention PIC now has to check in the wearhouse order. Spent countless times crying on the phone for something to give and the only response that was given was... this is how it is going to be from now on, so it’s time to get used to it. I am in disbelief that there is absolutely nothing that can be done. I agree that a pharmacist probably can not run the front store all that well, and has do desire to do so, and an educated front store manager has no business trying to run a pharmacy. I have never seen one or the other think they are better. Both individuals are specialized in one specific area. I am baffled that corporate believes this is way is even possible. How on earth is it even legal for a pharmacist to work under these conditions, knowing that patient safety has been put on the back burner. I am not a pharmacist, nor could anyone pay me enough money to be one. They are brilliant people with the best intentions of doing the best that they can for their patients. Retail pharmacy makes it impossible. No one will speak out in fear of retaliation. They say there will not be, but it happens all too often. It’s very, very sad CVS.

A manager was sitting in a chair at the beach with his toes in the water! Drink in his hand , covered with suntan lotion and basking in the warm sun! The manager was loving life. I noticed one leg was shackled to a stake in the sand ! I just looked at the fool and said "high tide in an hour"

I agree, again people making up things. The wage guidelines have never shown sm pay anyway. The operations manager has always been a position for 24 hours store and those with high sales. It replaced the assistant manager a few years ago. CVS would never want to get rid of the salaried position anyway because the amount of hours over 45 that are worked for free. When an employee calls off and no coverage, guess who has to work. Would cost more in the long run anyway. I can just see a pic having to do a Plano because the ops manager quit or something else happened, lol. They don’t have the time anyway. I love how people make this stuff up. Just like the whole target FS thing. Completely false.

Fake news!

Where’s your actual proof coming from, or is this all a vague theory based on the wage guidelines?

Yes, Pharmacy managers will be in charge with an operation manager that will cap at xx on the clock . No salary employees and bonus elimination. If you r seeing smit positions grow in your district , it is a stage of prep for elimination of salary staff. Or not! Look at your new wage management guidelines for the proof.lead tech will handle Rx operations manager front both answer to pic

Funny that pharmacist assume no education for FS manager as well. I am a FS manager and have a Masters Degree so that I am able to advance within the company, of course different areas of study but just as educated. BTW I graduated Summa Cum Laude. There is no way to effectively run the store sitting in the office so I am not sure who does that, yes there are times that paperwork, etc. has to be done but many times I have to do that at home. Pharmacists are trained on medications and not how to successfully run a business. Just demanding that the front store help them is a not great way to engage staff because they feel they are more important. It is important to create a culture where all employees are valued and yes pharmacists are truly a valuable piece of the business as are the store managers who run the entire store. I love my job but it always amazes me that many pharmacists feel entitled, especially when I have a degree just like they do. The pharmacists reply is that we are 80% of the business and yet they couldn’t even tell you what the actual profit the store is making off that regarding margins of medications and contribution A. They assume all this money is just pouring in because of them. The front store sales play a role also in why customers shop at CVS, it is the total shopping experience and scripts that help to retain customers versus going to mom and pop shops or other chains.

The 3 PICS I have partnered with didn't/don't have a clue how to run a business. I currently do RX schedules, handle all of the RX HR needs, including focal reviews. If CVS didn't invest so much energy into we care and work flow, I would have to assign that too. I hire for RX, order for RX, separate RXs truck. To say that managers sit in offices and complain is ignorant. Maybe YOUR manager does, but 90% of us are doing the best we can with what we have. But to your point, I would happily give you my keys and let you have a crack at running my store.

I have the utmost respect for your profession as a Pharmacist. There is a reason why only a Pharmacist can advise a patient. You have spent 5-6 years educating yourself and must continue your education yearly. Please show your Store Manager the same respect. To say a Store Manager sits in the office all day and complains is a sign of ignorance and we all know your much smarter than that. I come from a time when those Store Managers who sit in the office had to fall on a sword for their Pharmacists. You are blessed to be able to serve our customers by making a difference in their lives, let us do what we can using our talents as best we can.

The only way a pharmacist could run a front store is into the ground.

What makes you think a store manager is more capable of running a pharmacy than a pharmacy manager. Most store managers didn’t get through a bachelors degree ..not even saying to get to a doctorate degree that all Pharmacist’s have. I believe a phrmacist, given the appropriate time during the day, can run a store at least as well as any store manager..who from person experience of more than a decade..just sit in an office and act like they are stressed out. Like it or not, your job is nowhere near as important or stressful as a pharmacist

You are correct a PIC is required to maintain regulations and are responsible for staff compliance. However financially most don’t understand or operate outside of their scope. Most do not know how to effectively manage a business, simply how to manage scripts and laws pertaining. In fact, most are not capable or have the time to run the entire store. This is where the SM comes in and in fact CVS is set up to have the store manager in control of the entire business. Do you not realize on MSH, for example, The store manager is rated on the total stores numbers like schedule optimization and not just fs. The pharmacy metrics are just the pharmacy. So yes, the store manager is in fact running the entire store and CVS is taking the necessary step stop get the sm trained in all aspects of the pharmacy. Everyone has a chain of command regardless of job duties.

Yes, it is inconceivable.

By law, it is required that every pharmacy have a Pharmacist in charge or Pharmacy Mananger. And you cannot be the pharmacist in charge of more than one location.

That fact alone negates the idea of having two staff pharmacists in the store and they report to the store manager without a pharmacy manager.

Lol @ the comment below mine. My current DL is a former store manager, and guess what, every pic in the district now reports to him. Is it so inconceivable to imagine store managers doing the same for each individual store?

Lol @ the comment below, clearly clueless individual who shows 0 knowledge about pharmacy regulations..you can’t have a store manager run the pharmacy..look up “Pharmacist in Charge” on google, won’t waste my time writing more.

Completely untrue. If anything it would be the other way around. Ditch the Pharmacy Manager and have all staff pharmacist and have the store manager run both areas. Pharmacy Managers have 0 leadership skills.

All that won't matter when Amazon turns the heat on. We are quick to say that pharmacy delivery has been around for a while and hasn't impacted our business. We've haven't taken on Amazon.

Funny stuff, where do you guys come up with this. Pharmacy managers have no management skills as they are trained pharmacists and do not have the skill base or time to manage their own area let alone the stores. The store leader name change was the shift supervisors, we went over this at DL meeting. Just because you can fill a script doesn’t mean you are capable of financially running a store. This takes years of skill building, hence nobody is hired as a store manager with no sm background at any company.

First I’ve heard of it. I do know that lower volume stores will see the store manager position change to Team Leader and they will go being hourly like the SMITs. It’s already happened to a close friend of mine in Cali. As far as when it will roll out to all

Stores idk. There was talk about a Team Leader position around the time of reviews but not much was said.