Safeway reviews

Too many different programs. Not enough hours in the store or hours in the day to accomplish tasks. Senior management has no idea what can ideally be accomplished in an 8 hour period with no overtime. Persons from outside the store that work for corporate that come into the stores and find something out of place and make phone calls, just to cause unneccesary problems. Department managers in the stores should be better compensated for the amount of work that needs to be completed each day, and for spending the whole day trying to tranlate Spanish into English. This can be very exhausting for only $1.00 more an hour. Department managers should be non-Union.

They're cutting hours of both pharmacist and technicians. Staff pharmacists are being asked to take days off to allow the floaters some hours. There is a lot of time where pharmacists are working entirely solely, which is really stressful in the beginning of the day as it just sets you back for the entire day, and you're trying to play catch up. In addition, a floater is paid an hourly wage (instead of a salary for staff) and thus you're generally making about 15-20% less in a year due to them giving you 32-36 hrs instead of the "advertised" 40 hours for FT position. The bonus is a double edged sword, and I frankly regret signing it because it constricts you. They're really inflexible with scheduling for floating pharmacists as well. The schedule for floating pharmacists is sent on Thursday for the week after...so in essence, one doesn't know until Thursday evening where one's going to be working that coming Sunday. Also, in spite of the overhiring of floater pharmacists, they're really inflexible in providing for coverage in an emergency (such as a death in the family or friend). I personally was coerced to stay at work on Sunday after I found out news that my best friend passed away. In addition, there is a general lack of communication with upper management. Instead of communicating of a job opening at one of the stores to us (and I have repeatedly expressed interest in staffing positions at a fixed store), they hire from outside without any notification. Their huge emphasis on the Flu campaign is well-intentioned and appreciated from a public health perspective. Every pharmacist has to get certified to immunize in states where it is legally allowed. However, it places undue stress on the pharmacist, especially since you're working by yourself quite often with no technician or clerical help whatsoever. Also, there's lack of communication to employees of their future advertising plans, and thus personnel on the front end are left to come up with their owns rules and terms (for example, details on restrictions for $30 cash back, free antibiotics, ANYTIME ANYWHERE flu shots etc). Their software is outdated but functioning, although for a slow chain such as Safeway, it's probably not wise to invest millions in the latest technology. The help desk was generally really good in the beginning, but apparently there's been a lot of job loss on that side as well...thus if any problem arises, you spend a good 45 mins on hold waiting for someone to help you with some issues with claim transactions (workflow probs, etc).