WHERE IS BETTER TO WORK FOR A PHARMACIST?

What do people pay attention to when they choose place of work? Of course, one of the key factors is the salary rate. But many other things are also of great importance: career development, working conditions, duties, training availability, working environment.
Large pharmacy chains and individual pharmacies offer for the pharmacists a bit different opportunities. Working in one as in another structure has both its advantages and disadvantages. Which is better to choose depending on your personal interests – small cozy individual pharmacy or pharmacy that is a part of large chain?
Large pharmacy chains usually allocate more funds to train its employees. Besides, the suppliers usually are more willing to cooperate exactly with large chains, which mean that employees receive more information, attends conferences and workshops more frequently. Pharmaceutical industry is constantly developing and they are large pharmacy chains which introduce novelties – they are the first to install special PC software for the pharmacists, implement new pharmacy formats, and expand the assortment. They are braver to invest in new projects and that is why work in a large pharmacy chain gives you all chances to explore new technology and operating standards.
Work in a large company in nearly 100% of the cases means officially declared salary in full and on time, assuredly paid 28 days leave, work strictly per schedule without abnormal working hours, paid sick-list, and also observance of other employee rights. Small pharmacies can be more liberal in these issues, while large chains cannot afford the serious deviations from the Labor Code.
What is good about individual pharmacy?
If there are only 10 employees and there is no large-scale structure standing behind it, what are the advantages of work in such small company?
Flexibility in solving personnel problems: the managing director of a small pharmacy is also often its owner and it is much easier to solve many problems with the owner than with the hired manager. In a small individual pharmacy it is easier for the employee to take time off on personal matters, agree special schedule to solve, for example, some family matters. The managing director – owner makes decisions in his/ her sole discretion and if managing director highly esteems the employee, he/ she will gladly meet the employee half way in a difficult situation.
It is very difficult to remain unnoticed in a small pharmacy. If you work well, the manager will notice it and might pay bonuses or even raise your salary subject to possibility. Cohesive team may undoubtedly be in any pharmacy, but in small drugstores such team is an essential condition for survival. They hold on to their employees. Large pharmacies can afford, if necessary, to pay to advertise the vacancies and quickly recruit new employees. Small pharmacies have no money to recruit, and they try to create the most comfortable conditions for the team, so that people do not want to retire anywhere. If the owner works in the team, it is even more inspiring and motivating, because the owners are often the most dedicated and charismatic managers.