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“Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro- Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish Berkeley Branch Manager, Ocean County Library
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“Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

Dec 27, 2015

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Page 1: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

“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

Page 2: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

Disclaimer #1

This presentation is not intended to minimize the struggles your library has experienced in the last four years.

Page 3: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

Disclaimer #2

Image courtesy of the Mr. Men Wiki

Page 4: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

Page 5: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

Presentation Perspective Student’s outlook Presentation is pulled

from current academic, business, and library research

Anecdotal experiences from our New Jersey library colleagues included

Page 6: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

Page 7: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

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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.

Page 11: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

Examples

Page 12: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

Page 13: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 14: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 15: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

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“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…

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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

Page 18: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 19: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 20: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 21: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 22: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 23: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 24: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

Page 25: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 26: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 27: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

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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

Page 29: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 30: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 31: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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

Page 32: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.
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Page 34: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 35: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.

Page 36: “Turning the Page on Doom and Gloom”: Improving Morale in Your Library 2013 New Jersey Library Association Micro-Conferences Presented by: Michael Bobish.

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.
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