Managing and Evaluating Library Staff

by

Jennifer Doderer, Acting Director, Human Resources, Ocean County Library

New Hires:

•Job application AND a resume from each candidate •90 days probation in Personnel manual; can extend it only if State Library •Sort applications into 2 or 3 piles: No, Maybe and Interview •NO –

red flags

: comments, sloppy, misspellings, breaks •Phone Interview: weed out ones that look good on paper •Interviews: only need to actually interview 5-6 at most

High expectations of good employees should be spelled out: •Detailed job description •Goals for coming year •Regular / Virtual staff meetings •Coaching sessions •Daily E-mail / BLOGS

IF YOU’RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AN EMPLOYEE: Things to check:     Did you provide an orientation for them?

Do they know what their job entails, i.e. do they have a job description, list of duties?

Do they need training / retraining (see Free or Inexpensive Training) Document retraining!

Do they have the tools they need, i.e. space, supplies, computers, time, quiet environment?

Costs to keep them:

( Cavaiola, p.12) •Higher rates of absenteeism •Undermining loyal employees’ commitment to the organization •Creating a sense of malaise / depression •High turnover / retraining costs •Higher levels of stress with related accidents •Resistance to new management directives – they will undermine you with a passive/aggressive campaign •Legal fees, litigation, including high settlement fees

TOOLS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOR INCLUDE: • The Personnel Manual • Coaching / Counseling sessions • Evaluations annual and interim (quarterly, weekly), if needed • Progressive Discipline • Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with consequences (demotion or termination)

Strategies:

•Use a progressive discipline plan •Document, document, document – and do it to everyone that is misbehaving •Treat everyone the same •Cross-train, reschedule everyone. It will get them out of their comfort zone and away from their enablers. Also it will add depth to your organization.

•Keep ’em busy and out of trouble!!

Evaluations

Adaptability Communications Conflict Resolution Customer Service Dependability Job Knowledge Judgment Problem Solving Quality Team Work

Supervisors - add:

Cost Conscious/ Budgeting Delegation Leadership Managing People Planning and Organization

Dealing with FMLA, NJFLA

 Stay within the law, use your HR person  Use a labor attorney if things get rough  Document everything, all the time  Have the right forms & require them to be filled out correctly and completely   Excessive absences vs. Sick leave abuse Have the right leave policies – require earned leave the be used up before going to unpaid  Prevent

"Stacking"

of Leave

Free or Inexpensive Training:

 LibraryLinkNJ www.librarylinknj.org

 The NJ State Library www.njstatelib.org

 The New Jersey Library Association www.njla.org

 Web Junction - Learning Center http://www.webjunction.org

click on the

Find Training

tab  New Jersey Civil Service Commission (HRDI)  Statewide Super Supervisor classes, levels I, II, and III http://librarylinknj.org/content/super-library-supervisor-workshop series-2013

        

Resources:

Bramson, Robert. Coping with difficult people. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 1981.

Cavaiola, Alan A., and Lavender, Neil J. Toxic coworkers: how to deal with dysfunctional people on the job. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2000.

Dobson, Michael, and Dobson, Deborah Singer. Coping with supervisory nightmares: 12 common nightmares of leadership and what you can do about them. Mission, KS: SkillPath Publications, 1997. Documentation and discipline handouts, shared courtesy of Kathleen Carr, Human Resources, Ocean County Library from Super Supervisor Course Software from KnowledgePoint: Performance Now, and Descriptions Now, available from www.cdwg.com

. They take purchase orders Google “sample library job descriptions.” Maine St. Lib. has some good ones: http://www.maine.gov/msl/mrls/resources/jobdesc.shtml

http://www.ogletreedeakins.com/publications/2008-06-03/new-jersey-paid-family leave-law-fact-sheet http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/epbam/additional/fmla-overview.htm

Marian R. Bauman 732-775-8241 x 1-301 [email protected]