# Exploring work engagement and its associated factors among supervising pharmacists in Japan

## TL;DR

This study explores work engagement among supervising pharmacists in Japan and identifies factors like job control and coworker support that contribute to higher engagement.

## Contribution

The study identifies key predictors of work engagement among supervising pharmacists in Japan, offering insights for improving healthcare productivity.

## Key findings

- Supervising pharmacists' work engagement levels are comparable to nurse managers in prior studies.
- Factors like meaningful work, job control, and coworker support significantly predict high engagement.

## Abstract

This study investigated the work engagement of supervising pharmacists and sought to identify factors associated with high work engagement.

Given the growing shortage of healthcare professionals in rapidly aging societies, enhancing work engagement among pharmacists is critical to improve productivity, prevent turnover, and ensure the quality of community healthcare. Supervising pharmacists weretargeted due to their pivotal role as gatekeepers between organizational leadership and frontline staff in community pharmacies.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among supervising pharmacists from major community pharmacy chainsbetween August 2023 and September 2024. Participants completed a web-based questionnaire assessing demographic data, occupational stress, and work engagement. The associations between work engagement and related factors were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses with high work engagement defined as the top quartile of UWES-17.

Data from 973 participantswere analyzed. The median UWES-17 score was 2.82. Among the three dimensions, “dedication” scored the highest. The primary factors associated with high work engagement includedperceived “meaningfulness of work”, “job control”, “suitable jobs”, “age group (≥50 years)”, “coworker support”.

This study suggests that the distinct roles and workplace environments of supervising pharmacists are closely linked to their work engagement. Balancing job resources and demands is critical for sustaining engagement to maintain high-quality patient care. Interventions that strengthen self-awareness, peer collaboration, and career development within “Communities of Practice” could reinforce these gains.

•Supervising pharmacists' work engagement was at a level similar to nurse managers in prior studies.•Dedication was the dimension with the highest score among the three factors of engagement.•“Meaningfulness of work,” “Job control,” and “Suitable jobs” were the primary predictors of high engagement.•Age group (≥50 years) and “Coworker support” also significantly contributed to high engagement.•Fostering “Communities of Practice (CoP)” strengthens dedication and is key to sustainable pharmacy function.

Supervising pharmacists' work engagement was at a level similar to nurse managers in prior studies.

Dedication was the dimension with the highest score among the three factors of engagement.

“Meaningfulness of work,” “Job control,” and “Suitable jobs” were the primary predictors of high engagement.

Age group (≥50 years) and “Coworker support” also significantly contributed to high engagement.

Fostering “Communities of Practice (CoP)” strengthens dedication and is key to sustainable pharmacy function.