Document Type
Presentation
Publication Title
Illinois Library Association Annual Conference
Publication Date
10-9-2024
Keywords
team building, partnership and collaboration, community, organizational development, staff development, mentorship program, mentoring
Abstract
During times of stress and uncertainty, community-building is essential in the workplace. In all types of libraries, people work closely together but often do not know each other authentically. We all spend too many hours at work to feel isolated, burned out, or misunderstood. Work-related activities can help begin to nurture genuine connections, but unless intentional time is set aside for community-building, these relationships may never fully develop. Foster a positive culture by encouraging employees to get to know each other through playful, entertaining events. At our library, we have a mentoring program that not only pairs individuals together but also offers cohort programming. Participants in the mentoring program interact during social programs to get to know each other in a different way, which can increase morale, encourage fun, and develop innovative solutions to complicated problems. In this presentation, members of the mentoring facilitation team will describe their library’s cohort-based social programming, give examples of past successful activities, and explain how they assess the success of the events.
Recommended Citation
Allbaugh, Grace; Franzen, Susan; and Yon, Angela, "Creating Cards and Carving Pumpkins: How Fun Activities at Work Build Morale, Create Community, and Spark Creativity" (2024). Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library. 253.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/fpml/253
Comments
The presentation was given at the Illinois Library Association 2024 Annual Conference: Libraries Are Lit: Sparking Innovation and Imagination.