“turning the page on doom and gloom”: improving morale in your library 2013 new jersey library...
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“Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library
2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-ConferencesPresented by:
Michael BobishBerkeley Branch Manager, Ocean County Library
Disclaimer #1
This presentation is not intended to minimize the struggles your library has experienced in the last four years.
Disclaimer #2
Image courtesy of the Mr. Men Wiki
What This Presentation Does
Offers suggestions for supervisors on making their employees more self-directed, happy, and productive
Gives tips for employees on how to make their work and personal lives better
Tells why levity is important, and lists ways in which everyone can make their libraries more fun
Presentation Perspective Student’s outlook Presentation is pulled
from current academic, business, and library research
Anecdotal experiences from our New Jersey library colleagues included
Advice for Supervisors“Be accessible. Go to staff, engage in conversation, connect with each other.
Be honest. If staff asks a question, whether difficult or easy, answer as honestly and thoughtfully as possible. If you can’t share some information for a good reason, say that.
Be open. Connecting with people will encourage them to be open with you; return the favor.
Be kind. There is no good to be achieved by meanness.
Be fair. It’s natural to favor some people over others, but everyone should receive a fair amount of time, a fair hearing, a fair chance.
Be funny. Humor is a social lubricant!”
-Cindy Czesak, Library Director, Paterson Free Public Library
Money: It’s a Gas
Try to ensure that employees’ salary, & benefits needs are met
Motivation is difficult to maintain without this baseline
However, money isn’t everything
Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books, 2009.
Motivation 3.0
People are at their most productive when pursuing goals that interest them
We have an intrinsic desire to work, contrary to Motivation 2.0’s assumptions
Employees develop their most innovative ideas when they’re self-driven
People will work harder when their lifestyle needs are taken into account
Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books, 2009.
Examples
Tapping into Employees’ Drive Get to know your
staff and what makes them tick
Give them unstructured time when they can pursue innovation and interests
Make lifestyle accommodations, if possible
Beware of Extrinsic Motivators “If-Then” rewards require some
forfeiture of autonomy Can encourage “cutting corners” and
unscrupulous actions People begin to value the reward, and
not the act itself Only use on menial tasks, and give the
external rewards unexpectedly
Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books, 2009.
Have Realistic Expectations
Don’t ask your employees to do double the work if you have to lay off or fire their co-workers
Use volunteers to supplement efforts Delay non-essential tasks or projects
Casey, Michael & Michael Stephens. “The Transparent Library: Let’s All Lighten Up.” Library Journal, August 2008.
Does the “Wrong Side of the Bed” Matter?
Start-of-workday mood affects job performance
The workplace can positively or negatively change one’s starting mood
Quantity vs. quality. Bottom line: Let
people finish their coffee first.
Rothbard, Nancy, and Steffanie Wilk. “Waking Up on the Right or Wrong Side of the Bed: Start-of-Workday Mood, Work Events, Employee Affect, and Performance.” Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 54, No. 5, 2011.
CC Image courtesy of Hans on Pixabay
“Building and maintaining staff morale is an ongoing activity. Interact with your staff in a way that you are comfortable, be sincere with them, and respect their opinions. When staff are included in the decision-making and problem-solving at their branch, they feel invested in their work, and that they are valued by their supervisors. Don’t be afraid of being perceived as weak or in jeopardy of losing your authority by letting them participate.”
-Linda Feaster, Long Beach Island Branch Manager, Ocean County Library
Last Advice for Supervisors…
Advice for Library Employees
“A lot of people work very hard and don’t always feel appreciated. If you make the habit of saying thank you to every co-worker who assists you throughout the day, from the person emptying your wastebaskets to your supervisor, it helps people to know they are valued. Even making a general statement to staff at the close of the day, such as, ‘Thanks, everyone, for your work today,’ can build a more pleasant and appreciative environment.
When someone goes the extra mile (e.g., your maintenance person is dealing with a terrible mess in a public restroom or a front-line staff member took a large heaping of abuse from an irate patron and stayed professional throughout), pull them aside to let them know you saw what they did and you appreciate their help.”
-Anonymous
Repeat after Me…
“Nothing would be the same if I did not exist. Every place I have ever been and everyone I have ever spoken to would be different without me.” (David Niven)
Niven, David. 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People. HarperCollins, 2006.
A Sense of Purpose Why did you decide to
work in libraries? Reflect on the people
you’ve helped A study of older
Americans found that 7 in 10 people felt unsettled without a sense of purpose; those numbers were reversed among those with a sense of purpose
Madigan, M.J., D. Mise, and M. Maynard. “Life Satisfaction and Level of Activity.” Activities, Adaptation, and Aging, Vol. 21, No. 21, 1996.
Focus on the Positive
Try to focus on the aspects you like about your library, rather than the negative things
People who dwell on negative subjects and unhappiness are 70% less likely to feel content than those who don’t
Lyubomirsky, S. “The Hedonistic Consequences of Social Comparison: Implications for Enduring Happiness and Transient Mood.” Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University, 1994.
Be Kind to Your Co-Workers Life satisfaction
increases by up to 24% when people act altruistically towards others
Things You Can Do:– Hold doors for people– Water co-workers’ plants– Talk to your colleagues
when they seem upset– Take on a co-worker’s
project if she or he seems overwhelmed
Williams, A., D. Haber, G. Weaver, and J. Freeman. “Altruistic Activity.” Activities, Adaptation, and Aging, Vol. 22, No. 31, 1998.
Emotional Contagion (a.k.a. “Fake It until You Make It”)
People mirror each other’s states, starting with body language and then moving to emotions
Try flashing a sincere smile to people in your libraries, and see what happens
Rothbard, Nancy, and Steffanie Wilk. “Waking Up on the Right or Wrong Side of the Bed: Start-of-Workday Mood, Work Events, Employee Affect, and Performance.” Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 54, No. 5, 2011.
Crank Out the Tunes Music positively
affects the mood of 92% of people who listen to the songs of their choice
Excitement and happiness are the most common reactions
Play it in the office, if you can
Music: Soothing Savage Beasts Since 20,000 B.C.
Hakanen, E. “Emotional Use of Music by African American Adolescents.” Harvard Journal of Communications, Vol. 5, No. 124, 1995.
Advice for Employees (Off the Job)
“Throughout the year, I make a point of making mental notes about staff that have to do with either something extra they did or something small that had a big impact; or something we shared a laugh over; or a challenging situation they successfully worked through. Then at holiday time, I handwrite a greeting card thanking them for all their hard work, mentioning their specific tasks and I mention two or three of those ‘little’ things that happened throughout the year.
Staff seem to enjoy and appreciate it, and mention how they didn’t think I noticed ‘that,’ or they themselves had forgotten about ‘it.’ I like to think it helps with morale, which is always challenging.”
-Judy Roberts, Supervising Library Assistant, Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library
Exercise!
Regular exercise directly increases happiness 12%
Makes a dramatic contribution to improving self-image
Try walks during your lunch break with co-workers
Fontane, P. “Exercise, Fitness, and Feeling Well.” American Behavior Scientist, Vol. 39, No. 288, 1996.
Sleep More! Sleep contributes to
health, well-being, and a positive outlook
For those who sleep less than 8 hours, every hour of sleep lost contributes to an 8% less positive feeling about their day
Pilcher, J. “Affective and Daily Event Predictors of Life Satisfaction in College Students.” Social Indicators Research, Vol. 43, No. 291, 1998.
Make Time for Fun!
Central to a satisfied life People who have fun are 20% more
likely to feel happy daily They are also 36% more likely to feel
comfortable with their age & stage in life
Lepper, H. “In Pursuit of Happiness and Satisfaction in Later Life: A Study of Competing Theories of Subjective Well-Being.” Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Riverside, 1996.
LevitySample Branch Activities:
February 14th: Dress Up Day (Hors d’oeuvres & chocolates)
March 4th: Souper Day (Soup, of course!)
March 22nd: Egg Day (Anything egg! There is also a staff meeting that day with special “egg-related” activities)
April 15th: Tea Party (Tea will be provided--you bring the treats)
May 17th: Cupcake Wars (We will need tasters and bakers--HOMEMADE FROM SCRATCH only)
June 3rd: Family Recipe Day (Make and bring your favorite family recipe to share)
June 21st: MARGARITAVILLE! (No explanation needed)
-Suzanne Scro, Manchester Branch Manager, Ocean County Library
Why Levity? Increases employee
retention Laughter reduces:
– Depression– Confusion– Anger– Fatigue– Tension
Increases blood flow, comparable to exercise
Gostick, Adrian & Scott Christopher. The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
Laughter Pays
Humorous employees:– Yield more influence– Command higher
salaries– Are more effective
negotiators and presenters
– Climb the corporate ladder faster
Gostick, Adrian & Scott Christopher. The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
Ideas for Your Library
Form a “Spirit Committee” Have theme days Create celebrations staff and
customers can take part in Make creative bulletin boards Reward “above and beyond” service to
customers and staff
Other Great Ideas Play work bingo
with tasks that need to be done
Have a parking lot tailgate party
Have a quarterly potluck lunch
Have a family ice skating event
Have a “retro” dress up day
In the summer, bring an ice cream truck on-site
Have a trivia night Setup a mini-golf
course in the office Have meetings
outside or at a local park
Have a “joke of the day” contest
Gostick, Adrian & Scott Christopher. The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
Even More Great Ideas Build a “Wall-of-Fame”
in your staff room Challenge another
library to a softball game
Have a best cookie contest
Start a staff book club Have a “Christmas in
July” day at your library
Make an ugly Hawaiian shirt parade that marches around the library
Have a karaoke lunch Bring in pizza for lunch Have everyone try to
use--in context--a new, difficult word during the course of a meeting
Play hockey in the hallway
Gostick, Adrian & Scott Christopher. The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
In the End…
“No one can snap their fingers and make someone happy. What you can do is help people to see what is useful for them to see. What you can do is point and hope they look.” --Harry Gilman
Niven, David. 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People. HarperCollins, 2006.