Pharmacy IS a Game of Thrones

A friend of mine also works for Goofmart Pharmacy on the other side of town. Several years ago his pharmacy was all by itself and enjoyed the fruits of all the pharmacy business in the area. Since that time, urban sprawl has caused several competing pharmacies (including two more Goofmart pharmacies) to build within a ten mile radius. My friend's pharmacy has dealt with declining business since that time. The increase in population growth has been outpaced by new pharmacies available. There's more competition than necessary and they all split the pie with thin slices. (Supply exceeds demand, for you economists)

Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would be able to see this. Ah, but that's where our renowned pharmacy director steps in. The director recently made a personal visit to my friend's pharmacy and told him:

"You have three months to turn things around, otherwise you will be put into the float pool."

The float pool is Goofmart Pharmacy's way of forcing you to quit without firing you. You get put into a group with other floaters. Your hours may be 40 one week, 55 another week, but most often less than 40. That's not reasonable so most people put into the float pool are forced to quit.

I'm inclined to think the pharmacy director can't really be so stupid as to think my friend can "turn things around" in three months OR that sales have declined because of his management. I know my friend well. He runs a tight ship and provides top notch pharmacy service. That keeps a lot of people coming back, but there's still others that will accept moderate service for convenience. That's just a fact. Surely the director must know this. And yet, with so many other blunders with this company, it wouldn't surprise me at all to think he really is just that stupid.

Or is he? Now here's the rub... a devious rub...

Herr Director has been slicing out "contrary voices" among our region's pharmacies for about a year now. If you're someone who has an opinion or expresses displeasure with new mandates, sooner or later you're "eliminated" in one way or another. It's not just pharmacists. One of our regional pharmacy managers quit under extremely suspicious circumstances. The word on the street is that this manager disagreed with the director and he forced the manager out. It's corporate assassination at it's finest.

As you recently graduated pharmacists take your exams and prepare for your career in retail, just remember this:

Politics. Game-playing. Silenced voices. Mysterious changes in management. Threats. Odd complaints from other company employees. Double-secret probation. Cats and dogs, living together. Metrics. Quake-N-Zap. Honey Badger don't care... Worthless "bonus" plans. Mind-reading Skills required. Unreasonable expectations. Do more with less. 

This is what makes up retail pharmacy now. The Lannisters send their regards.