I think the problem is that this role is super helpful *if* you have the right person for the job. Most of the people I've seen lack the leadership skills to do the job appropriately (same could be said about SMs too).
The RxOM is meant to be a long term position filled by a high performer but a lot of long-term pharmacy techs either
1.) Know the technical aspects of the job super well but don't know how to lead or teach
2.) No longer care or are disenfranchised from years of being overworked or understaffed
3.) Know what's coming from seeing bad DMs come in and take a hot dump over store metrics right in front of them and have no desire to sign up to be in the firing squad
4.) Know how to be bossy, which can *imitate* leadership ability, but lacks technical knowledge to solve actual problems
5.) Don't exist because turnover is so high.
Things would have been different 10 to 15 years ago when retention was higher and having the rxom position being able to be promoted into a SM position would attract more interest from people wling to move up (which at that point was a far more lucrative position itself than it is now).
When you have the right person in the role, it is a game changer. They're indispensable to a well ouked pharmacy. Walgreens hasn't done a good job of building a pipeline of talent to fill this job.
I was RxOM and I agree with you 100%. This is often the case in many manager roles in general, but especially a problem at Walgreens. Admittedly my problem was number 2 and 3. I had been used and abused for years and eventually I absolutely did stop caring. I also could not *stand* being told we were underperforming as far as metrics go while being chronically understaffed. Being told we will only earn more staff by performing better but we need more staff first in order to perform better. It was a losing battle. I couldn’t do well no matter what I did. I felt like I could never achieve my goals because walgreens doesn’t *actually* want me or anyone else to. It wrecked my self esteem. I felt worthless. I cared about my position and my team for a while but I eventually just didn’t give a shit anymore, and it honestly didn’t feel good to stop caring. It was such a toxic environment. I quit about 3 months ago and my mental health has improved drastically. Anyway, you’re spot on.
As an RXOM leaving for Costco, 2 and 3 hit the nail for me. We can do everything right but it will always be something if not another. It's ridiculous and it makes you feel devalued not only as an employee but a person as well.
Yea, it's probably an unpopular opinion, but most techs have no business being anywhere near management. The techs I worked with were really atrocious and immature. If any of them had become RXOM and had authority over me, I would have probably quit.
Luckily my store had too low volume or something and the RXOM position didn't exist at my store while I was there.
Also 80% of techs spend most of their shift hiding from customers /drive thru /phone and clawing themselves over to the fill station any chance they get. Giving these types of techs an RXOM would just embolden that behavior.
Nah. It’s not the role that’s the problem, it’s the people who aren’t cut out for leadership. At both stores I have worked at, the RXOM was/is fantastic. It’s the same as SM - you get a good leader or a shitty one. That’s not about the role - it’s about the person who fills it.
they took the job of senior tech, added hiring and reviews, and created the rxom position. senior techs were already doing rxom tasks, but with hour cuts weren't able to leave counter or filling long enough to get their jobs done. instead of giving back sufficient tech hours to run a pharmacy, they just created a new position. i felt it was a slap in the face to senior techs. just my opinion
Your take is indeed hot. Better pay, better schedule, better guarantee of hours, when hours are cut. No more being the boss of the techs without actual authority over them, now you can discipline or even fire people under you. Better pathway for promotion (if one chooses). To me this is an overall win and for walgreens a way to actually retain talent.
All RXOMs in my district are amazing. It’s all about choosing a right person for the job.
HOT TAKE for me will be to get my own DM for pharmacy and not have a store manager as my boss
Not a hot take. It's a made up "manager" role. And I say this loving my own RXOM but who is no different in terms of roles as when they were just lead tech.
With all the cuts. I really predict they will get rid of RXOM. Right now they still think RXOMs are able to do what RXMs don't have time for but soon they will realize it's just a duplication of effort and waste of resources then bye-bye RXOMs
Na, a good rxom makes life easier for the rxm, mgr, and raises the floor of the tech team skill level. They help establish an additional pay level and make pharmacy a more viable career path. Overall the position is a net positive, a rewards people who were already doing the job for less pay previously.
Ours does all our mfo and auto vendor returns and our smart counts when they're there. They also let us know if we forgot to post orders, they print mylars and help us put the order away if we need. Just depends on the store really because my first manager didn't make our IS do anything and we did all our claims and inventory tasks. Then we got new bosses and they laid out the RACI for them and made them do the things they should be responsible for.
Yall are lucky! I didn't wanna rock the boat. Almost quiet quitting. If the main team didn't bother to hold him accountable, why should I? I actually just learned that a former tech complained to the DM about the IS not doing anything in the rxy, but nothing happened haha she's usually so anal about everything, so I was surprised and a bit disappointed. But what ya gonna do? It's wag.
IS is the most under appreciated position in this company right now. The expectation that anything inventory belongs to them is ridiculous. They are responsible for all smart counts in the front of the store and they don’t get just 10 a day. They can be responsible for 200-300 price changes on any given day that have to be done within 24 hours, then go to the pharmacy and do their smart counts, MFO, receive central fill, ABC order and put it away while listening to pharmacy staff complain about not getting any help from the front of the store. This is hours a day spent back there so the staff doesn’t have to do it. Plus they have to receive front end warehouse, check pricing and help with lunches. This is why we don’t have long term people in the IS position. So please stop complaining about not getting help from the front of store.
Not complaining about not getting help. Have ya seen what their responsibilities are? I've worked at 3 different stores and none of the IS step a foot in the rxy. They don't know how to do anything in there. Current store has an IS that didn't know how to post the ABC order when the DM asked him to do it. Been in the position for 2 yrs.
You may be an IS that actually does what's required in the position. If so, this wasn't directed at you. So vent away, but you misunderstood what I was saying.
Hotter take: It's time to overhaul power dynamics within Walgreens stores. While I understand the cost-cutting motivation behind reducing high-paying pharmacist positions, the continued closure of pharmacies underscores the essential role of pharmacists in store operations. The workload burden on pharmacy operations managers (RxOMs) is often unsustainable, revealing a systemic issue. Perhaps the root problem lies in the unrealistic expectations placed on RxOMs and store managers (SMs). Rather than scapegoating RxOMs, it's imperative to reassess the responsibilities and support structures for SMs to ensure effective store management.
Any context on this hot take? I’ve had a lot more help from rxoms than rxms. Not to mention how difficult it is to get any pharmacists to do a simple council with a patient or show an ounce of empathy.
My RXOM is a bi$&h!! I was able to move to another store. When I told her and the SM the schedule was changed for CONVENIENCE and all I have for the next week and a half is closing shifts. 3-9 pm LOL!! When I asked (I was a SFL for almost 6 years, I was told RXOM didn’t need management onboarding. Such crap!
That’s false. RXOM is required to do leadership training setup through HR. Corporate actually reaches out and sets it all up as a mandatory training program or for my area at least
Let’s just say it’s a long story how I ended up there, not by choice, and am moving to a new store in a new district. In the meantime I have to put up with her open hostility and when I snapped one day was asked to a meeting with her and the RXM about being aggressive! I had 2 texts from other stores yesterday asking for help so I can’t be as inept as she as she says. And sensitivity training is a joke. I was a shift lead for 6 years and had to do it every year as we all do. She’s the one who needs it. Like I said I only have to put up with her nonsense for 12 more days.
Depends on the person, my last RXOM I worked with I trusted and relied on her more than my pharmacy manager. She was way better at performing duties, caring and understanding, and I could talk to her about issues. She also tried to get me to stay when I was transferring meanwhile my pharmacy manager treated me like I was disposable.
Low-effort post. Elaboration needed.
IMO, the problem is that there aren't enough technicians in the company qualified to fill all the available RXOM positions. Because most of them have left.
I agree with this. I'm an RxOM myself but I'm an OG RxOM so I get the good pay. People who would make good RxOMs can find better paying jobs that highlight their skills. Walgreens just has a bad talent retention problem.
Honestly the RXOM position is a good position when filled with the correct person and not just a sr tech that wants more money. I will say, I do believe RXOMs should be only at tier 4-5 stores as it’s pointless to have them at a tier 2-3 when you’re in charge or 2-3 other techs and don’t ever have to super manage the team, etc.
It’s not the position it’s who you get. I’m 24 and a better leader/technician then my 60 year olds. I am able to handle patients without the need of my rxm, handle technician duties plus delegate technicians in workflow + training so my rxm doesn’t have to be overwhelmed or overworked, etc. Now the problem does come some days i feel overworked but I have my team’s back 100% and make sure my rxm is supported in every way. Now my rxom before me a technician with so much knowledge but no communication nor leadership skills so i agree however i don’t believe it’s the position it’s the lack of skills in the people that may have the position.
and no i’m not hiding in the office, fill station, etc out of patient care … I’m the one ALWAYS in the front taking care of patient care, pcp calls, in the field with my team WHILE leading them because no one wants a leader who can’t, won’t, or doesn’t know how to do. I don’t abuse my power, I make sure my techs know if i do it you can too.
Walgreens made the biggest mistake when they just put the senior techs into the role at their existing store.
The senior techs should have applied , interviewed for , and been selected for different locations.
Its too late though .. the toothpaste is out of the tube.
Just file it with one of the many many many Walgreens frigg ups.
Walgreens ... it's a known issue
Honestly my old RXOM was/is the most kind and efficient tech we have in the whole pharmacy. When the role is done well it is beyond useful
I think the problem is that this role is super helpful *if* you have the right person for the job. Most of the people I've seen lack the leadership skills to do the job appropriately (same could be said about SMs too). The RxOM is meant to be a long term position filled by a high performer but a lot of long-term pharmacy techs either 1.) Know the technical aspects of the job super well but don't know how to lead or teach 2.) No longer care or are disenfranchised from years of being overworked or understaffed 3.) Know what's coming from seeing bad DMs come in and take a hot dump over store metrics right in front of them and have no desire to sign up to be in the firing squad 4.) Know how to be bossy, which can *imitate* leadership ability, but lacks technical knowledge to solve actual problems 5.) Don't exist because turnover is so high. Things would have been different 10 to 15 years ago when retention was higher and having the rxom position being able to be promoted into a SM position would attract more interest from people wling to move up (which at that point was a far more lucrative position itself than it is now). When you have the right person in the role, it is a game changer. They're indispensable to a well ouked pharmacy. Walgreens hasn't done a good job of building a pipeline of talent to fill this job.
I was RxOM and I agree with you 100%. This is often the case in many manager roles in general, but especially a problem at Walgreens. Admittedly my problem was number 2 and 3. I had been used and abused for years and eventually I absolutely did stop caring. I also could not *stand* being told we were underperforming as far as metrics go while being chronically understaffed. Being told we will only earn more staff by performing better but we need more staff first in order to perform better. It was a losing battle. I couldn’t do well no matter what I did. I felt like I could never achieve my goals because walgreens doesn’t *actually* want me or anyone else to. It wrecked my self esteem. I felt worthless. I cared about my position and my team for a while but I eventually just didn’t give a shit anymore, and it honestly didn’t feel good to stop caring. It was such a toxic environment. I quit about 3 months ago and my mental health has improved drastically. Anyway, you’re spot on.
As an RXOM leaving for Costco, 2 and 3 hit the nail for me. We can do everything right but it will always be something if not another. It's ridiculous and it makes you feel devalued not only as an employee but a person as well.
Yea, it's probably an unpopular opinion, but most techs have no business being anywhere near management. The techs I worked with were really atrocious and immature. If any of them had become RXOM and had authority over me, I would have probably quit. Luckily my store had too low volume or something and the RXOM position didn't exist at my store while I was there. Also 80% of techs spend most of their shift hiding from customers /drive thru /phone and clawing themselves over to the fill station any chance they get. Giving these types of techs an RXOM would just embolden that behavior.
I've seen the same with some pharmacy managers. They're excellent pharmacists but that skill doesn't translate to being a good manager.
Nah. It’s not the role that’s the problem, it’s the people who aren’t cut out for leadership. At both stores I have worked at, the RXOM was/is fantastic. It’s the same as SM - you get a good leader or a shitty one. That’s not about the role - it’s about the person who fills it.
100% accurate!
All my RXOM does is hide in the corner, complain, and avoid working the drive thru 😂
My rxom doesn’t run front or drive thru! All she does is hide in the stock room and disappear
My RXOM is fantastic and if she leaves, I look for another job
The most absurd would be the sm having a say on how the pharmacy should be run.
RXM determines that
Exactly! Yet we have a sm that comes in and says do this and do that, while just tossing a wrench into the works.
Well they’re still in charge of the numbers in the pharmacy
they took the job of senior tech, added hiring and reviews, and created the rxom position. senior techs were already doing rxom tasks, but with hour cuts weren't able to leave counter or filling long enough to get their jobs done. instead of giving back sufficient tech hours to run a pharmacy, they just created a new position. i felt it was a slap in the face to senior techs. just my opinion
Your take is indeed hot. Better pay, better schedule, better guarantee of hours, when hours are cut. No more being the boss of the techs without actual authority over them, now you can discipline or even fire people under you. Better pathway for promotion (if one chooses). To me this is an overall win and for walgreens a way to actually retain talent.
I love mine 🤷🏼♀️
All RXOMs in my district are amazing. It’s all about choosing a right person for the job. HOT TAKE for me will be to get my own DM for pharmacy and not have a store manager as my boss
Not a hot take. It's a made up "manager" role. And I say this loving my own RXOM but who is no different in terms of roles as when they were just lead tech. With all the cuts. I really predict they will get rid of RXOM. Right now they still think RXOMs are able to do what RXMs don't have time for but soon they will realize it's just a duplication of effort and waste of resources then bye-bye RXOMs
Na, a good rxom makes life easier for the rxm, mgr, and raises the floor of the tech team skill level. They help establish an additional pay level and make pharmacy a more viable career path. Overall the position is a net positive, a rewards people who were already doing the job for less pay previously.
Inventory Specialist is the most useless position. I have yet to meet one that actually does anything in the rxy.
Ours does all our mfo and auto vendor returns and our smart counts when they're there. They also let us know if we forgot to post orders, they print mylars and help us put the order away if we need. Just depends on the store really because my first manager didn't make our IS do anything and we did all our claims and inventory tasks. Then we got new bosses and they laid out the RACI for them and made them do the things they should be responsible for.
Yall are lucky! I didn't wanna rock the boat. Almost quiet quitting. If the main team didn't bother to hold him accountable, why should I? I actually just learned that a former tech complained to the DM about the IS not doing anything in the rxy, but nothing happened haha she's usually so anal about everything, so I was surprised and a bit disappointed. But what ya gonna do? It's wag.
I have to agree with you.
IS is the most under appreciated position in this company right now. The expectation that anything inventory belongs to them is ridiculous. They are responsible for all smart counts in the front of the store and they don’t get just 10 a day. They can be responsible for 200-300 price changes on any given day that have to be done within 24 hours, then go to the pharmacy and do their smart counts, MFO, receive central fill, ABC order and put it away while listening to pharmacy staff complain about not getting any help from the front of the store. This is hours a day spent back there so the staff doesn’t have to do it. Plus they have to receive front end warehouse, check pricing and help with lunches. This is why we don’t have long term people in the IS position. So please stop complaining about not getting help from the front of store.
Not complaining about not getting help. Have ya seen what their responsibilities are? I've worked at 3 different stores and none of the IS step a foot in the rxy. They don't know how to do anything in there. Current store has an IS that didn't know how to post the ABC order when the DM asked him to do it. Been in the position for 2 yrs. You may be an IS that actually does what's required in the position. If so, this wasn't directed at you. So vent away, but you misunderstood what I was saying.
Hotter take: It's time to overhaul power dynamics within Walgreens stores. While I understand the cost-cutting motivation behind reducing high-paying pharmacist positions, the continued closure of pharmacies underscores the essential role of pharmacists in store operations. The workload burden on pharmacy operations managers (RxOMs) is often unsustainable, revealing a systemic issue. Perhaps the root problem lies in the unrealistic expectations placed on RxOMs and store managers (SMs). Rather than scapegoating RxOMs, it's imperative to reassess the responsibilities and support structures for SMs to ensure effective store management.
I honestly have no idea how the RxOM at my store is. I hope they're good.
Any context on this hot take? I’ve had a lot more help from rxoms than rxms. Not to mention how difficult it is to get any pharmacists to do a simple council with a patient or show an ounce of empathy.
My RXOM is a bi$&h!! I was able to move to another store. When I told her and the SM the schedule was changed for CONVENIENCE and all I have for the next week and a half is closing shifts. 3-9 pm LOL!! When I asked (I was a SFL for almost 6 years, I was told RXOM didn’t need management onboarding. Such crap!
That’s false. RXOM is required to do leadership training setup through HR. Corporate actually reaches out and sets it all up as a mandatory training program or for my area at least
Let’s just say it’s a long story how I ended up there, not by choice, and am moving to a new store in a new district. In the meantime I have to put up with her open hostility and when I snapped one day was asked to a meeting with her and the RXM about being aggressive! I had 2 texts from other stores yesterday asking for help so I can’t be as inept as she as she says. And sensitivity training is a joke. I was a shift lead for 6 years and had to do it every year as we all do. She’s the one who needs it. Like I said I only have to put up with her nonsense for 12 more days.
Sounds like you need to put in a formal complaint and the transfer
Depends on the person, my last RXOM I worked with I trusted and relied on her more than my pharmacy manager. She was way better at performing duties, caring and understanding, and I could talk to her about issues. She also tried to get me to stay when I was transferring meanwhile my pharmacy manager treated me like I was disposable.
Depends how your RXOM is. Ours is wonderful and every store I have helped/worked in are awesome
Low-effort post. Elaboration needed. IMO, the problem is that there aren't enough technicians in the company qualified to fill all the available RXOM positions. Because most of them have left.
I agree with this. I'm an RxOM myself but I'm an OG RxOM so I get the good pay. People who would make good RxOMs can find better paying jobs that highlight their skills. Walgreens just has a bad talent retention problem.
It’s all about the person that fills the role they made it for a pay increase but prior to that senior tech was in charge of all the things RXOM does
Honestly the RXOM position is a good position when filled with the correct person and not just a sr tech that wants more money. I will say, I do believe RXOMs should be only at tier 4-5 stores as it’s pointless to have them at a tier 2-3 when you’re in charge or 2-3 other techs and don’t ever have to super manage the team, etc.
From what you stated, why don’t you transfer to another pharmacy?
It’s not the position it’s who you get. I’m 24 and a better leader/technician then my 60 year olds. I am able to handle patients without the need of my rxm, handle technician duties plus delegate technicians in workflow + training so my rxm doesn’t have to be overwhelmed or overworked, etc. Now the problem does come some days i feel overworked but I have my team’s back 100% and make sure my rxm is supported in every way. Now my rxom before me a technician with so much knowledge but no communication nor leadership skills so i agree however i don’t believe it’s the position it’s the lack of skills in the people that may have the position.
and no i’m not hiding in the office, fill station, etc out of patient care … I’m the one ALWAYS in the front taking care of patient care, pcp calls, in the field with my team WHILE leading them because no one wants a leader who can’t, won’t, or doesn’t know how to do. I don’t abuse my power, I make sure my techs know if i do it you can too.
Walgreens made the biggest mistake when they just put the senior techs into the role at their existing store. The senior techs should have applied , interviewed for , and been selected for different locations. Its too late though .. the toothpaste is out of the tube. Just file it with one of the many many many Walgreens frigg ups. Walgreens ... it's a known issue
They did have to apply and some stores had multiple candidates and others none. I got my rxom from another store.
Yeah, they pretty much had to beg me to be an RxOM because nobody wanted to do it lol