EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IN PHARMACIES IN MONTENEGRO 

AUTOR(I) / AUTHOR(S): Ivana Vuković, Sonja Nikić , Andrijana Milošević Georgiev

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DOI:  10.46793/XXIJUSK-ICQ.040V

SAŽETAK / ABSTRACT:

Working in pharmacies entails a high level of professional responsibility and daily exposure to complex challenges. Employee satisfaction significantly influences the quality of pharmaceutical services, productivity, and staff retention. The aim of this study was to assess the level of job satisfaction among pharmacy employees in Montenegro, with a special focus on working conditions, interpersonal relationships, opportunities for professional development, and the presence of workplace stress. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmaceutical professionals in Montenegro (N=262) using an anonymous questionnaire. The collected data included demographic and professional characteristics (gender, age, professional qualifications, work experience), as well as ratings of satisfaction with various aspects of work (working conditions, relationships with colleagues and patients, workload, work organization, working hours, financial compensation, management support, stress, and overall job satisfaction).

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. The majority of respondents were female (92%), aged 26 to 35 years (36.6%), with the professional title of pharmacist (54.6%) or pharmaceutical technician (35.9%), primarily employed in the private sector (71%) and in the central part of the country. The highest levels of satisfaction were reported in relationships with colleagues (68% satisfied or very satisfied), organization of work tasks (63.3%), and task clarity (50.8%). Financial compensation and opportunities for professional development were rated lower, while more than 40% of respondents reported frequently experiencing stress at work. Statistically significant associations were found between age and work experience, as well as between professional qualifications and perceived stress. Age was also associated with overall job satisfaction, while longer work experience was associated with lower levels of stress. Gender did not show a statistically significant association with the examined variables. The results indicate that interpersonal relationships and work organization are key factors of satisfaction among pharmaceutical professionals in Montenegro, while lower results in the areas of financial compensation and professional development signal a need for improvement. The identified associations between age and professional qualifications with higher job satisfaction and lower stress levels suggest that experience contributes to greater professional stability. The absence of a significant effect of gender highlights the universality of the identified factors. Based on these findings, it is recommended that initiatives to increase employee satisfaction be directed towards strengthening professional development and reducing stress through institutional support

and targeted human resource management approaches in the pharmaceutical sector.

KLJUČNE REČI / KEYWORDS:

employee satisfaction, pharmaceutical sector, stress, professional development

PROJEKAT / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

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