March/April 2006 issue

Workshop Summary: Workplace Culture

by Cindy Wellen, Library Technician, Fargo

Suzanne Morrison and I participated in another Sirsi Dynix Institute Web Seminar called Workplace Culture. A good workplace culture is not an impossible dream, but it does take common sense, compassionate support and creative strategies.

A healthy workplace is no accident. It is the responsibility of every team member to foster a good working environment. However, good leaders carry the responsibility to create team spirit by following a set of rules:

• Make team members feel appreciated
• Pitch in rather than just checking up
• Ask for and validate opinions before making decisions
• Clearly explain the mission and define each team member’s role
• Give credit for contributions
• Show respect by communicating about work and personal issues
• Provide feedback immediately
• Avoid the “trap of lenience.” (Allowing untoward behavior makes members more unhappy with the leader than the offender.)
• Act like a grizzly protecting your cubs. (Examples: “I will not let that happen to my team.” “One person should not man the desk all day.”)

Many times workplace challenges boil down to the challenge of getting along. Libraries and other offices can have a wide variety of stressors. Budget issues, Googledom, rapidly changing technology, interruptions, and the need for quick responses are some issues that cause stress. The mix of educational backgrounds and training burdens due to turnover also add tension. Any leader would do well to seek to be the world champion of interpersonal relations.

Human nature is also part of workplace culture. People are human. No one comes to work with a blank slate, so communication is important. For example, if the team knows that John’s wife had a car accident or that Kate injured her foot, they will not misinterpret their moods or mobility.

Finally, leaders need to look at the big picture and make their daily mantra “What can I do to make all team members feel respected, appreciated, useful and proud of their work?” Ultimately job success is tied to interpersonal skills. Supervisors should enforce a periodic Team Health Check where the leaderasks team members about the overall mood of the workplace:

Are there signs of tension or fatigue? Are specific issues affecting how people feel about their jobs? What’s it like to work here?

This can be followed up with an Individual Contentment Check where the leader asks individuals questions:

How do you feel about your job? What would you change if you could? How can I support you?

Reverse Performance Evaluations are also becoming popular in workplace settings. This is where team members evaluate the leader to help provide feedback to the leader. Here, it is essential to provide security for team members to be honest about their perceptions of the workplace.

If you are interested in listening to this presentation, check out the free Seminar Archives on the Sirsi Dynix Institute’s website at http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com.