by Steve Choate for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy blog series
The greatest assets that you have are not the building, inventory, or your location. The greatest assets you have are your employees. My first recommendation is that you call them something other than employees. Here at Hamacher Resource Group, we are called “associates,” at Target they are called “teammates.” All the people working for Disney are called “cast members.” Find a term that works for you and use it when you speak to and/or about the talented people you employ.
Like you would your customers, get to know your associates. Greet them each day when they come to work. Take time to share with them how the store is doing. Tell them what areas are suffering and may need some help. Also tell them what areas are doing well. Ask them to share their ideas with you on how to make your store better. Remember, they are the ones spending time with your customers after your help them. Open communication will help your employees feel more like a part of your team and not just someone who punches a time clock.
Each person is a unique individual with unique talents that can benefit your store. Work with their strengths. If you have a person who is not a great people person, but is good with details, maybe they can be your receiving person who is responsible for inventory and invoices or payment. If you have a person who has an artistic eye, use their talents to create your in-store signage and store displays.
Treat your associates like family. Celebrate your store’s successes with your team! Support your teammates when they have a personal loss. Celebrate the small things with your cast members such as “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (September 19th) or “Hoodie Hoo Day” (February 20th). Celebrate your associates’ life-changing moments such as a wedding, new baby, child graduating high school and going off to college, or a retirement.
Remember, the people working for you are more than just EMPLOYEES!
As business development manager, Steve’s primary goal is to build long term alliances and develop mutually beneficial relationships with existing and new clients and meet or exceed their past, present, and future revenue goals in a cost-effective and efficient way.