Playing the Long Game

Business leaders across industries face a constant tug-of-war: the pressure to perform today versus the need to build for tomorrow. We saw it play out dramatically during the pandemic in sectors as different—and yet as similar—as pharmacy and software development. Both tell a cautionary tale about the dangers of short-term thinking.

Pharmacies, especially giants like CVS and Walgreens, were slammed by demand during the pandemic. They piled more responsibilities onto pharmacists—testing, vaccinating, managing complex insurance approvals—but failed to offer the necessary support. The result? Burnout, protests, and a staffing crisis that’s still haunting them.

Meanwhile, software companies rode the pandemic hiring wave, snapping up talent as fast as they could. But as the market cooled, layoffs came just as fast. Some companies cut so deeply into their teams that they lost critical expertise. And yet, despite these layoffs, the remaining developers found themselves working longer hours, often for less pay.

It’s easy to see the immediate logic in both cases: save costs, meet demand, survive today. But at what cost tomorrow?

The Risks of Short-Term Thinking

Both industries show us the cracks that appear when companies focus too narrowly on the present:

• Burnout and Attrition: Overworking employees is a short-term fix that guarantees long-term damage. Exhausted employees leave. Talented workers look elsewhere. And companies face higher training and replacement costs.
• Reputational Damage: Employees talk—on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or quietly among themselves. Companies that exploit their teams during tough times find it hard to shake the stigma when the market rebounds.
• Lost Expertise: Talent is not interchangeable. When you cut deeply into a team or let skilled employees walk away, you lose institutional knowledge that’s often irreplaceable.

The Market Reality: Cycles Are Inevitable

Labor markets, like economies, are cyclical. The pharmacy industry is now desperate for workers, offering higher wages and shorter hours to lure back talent. In software, the same thing is likely to happen. As companies compete for developers in the next upswing, those with reputations for overwork and underpaying will find themselves at a disadvantage.

So, what’s the alternative? Leaders can’t just ignore market pressures. Budgets are real. Timelines matter. But there’s a difference between reacting to the moment and planning for the future.

Smart Strategies for Leaders

Instead of swinging wildly between hiring sprees and mass layoffs, companies should focus on measured, sustainable practices:

1. Think Long-Term About Talent: Hiring in booms and cutting in busts wastes resources and hurts your brand. Instead, build a flexible workforce strategy that can adapt without major disruptions.
2. Protect Your Core: Identify mission-critical roles and ensure they’re shielded from short-term cuts. Pharmacies need experienced pharmacists; software companies need their top developers. Those are your anchors.
3. Invest in Reputation: Your brand as an employer matters. The companies that handle downturns with transparency and fairness—without sugarcoating—will attract the best talent when the market shifts.
4. Create Resilience, Not Burnout: Burnout might get you through this quarter, but it won’t get you through the next. Use automation and smarter processes to ease workloads rather than simply demanding more hours.
5. Prepare for the Cycle: The next upswing isn’t an "if"—it’s a "when." Have plans in place to scale up intelligently when it comes, so you’re not scrambling to rebuild what was lost.

Why This Matters Now

Both pharmacy and software are essential industries. Pharmacies deliver care; developers drive innovation. But treating workers as disposable commodities undermines those missions. Companies that can weather market pressures without gutting their teams will emerge stronger—and ready to capitalize when the inevitable rebound comes.

Leadership isn’t just about reacting to the present. It’s about seeing the future and knowing how to get there. The companies that invest in sustainable practices today are the ones that will dominate tomorrow.