News Library News Online
Vol. 21, No.3/Spring 1999

Table of Contents

Minneapolis: Welcomes the News Division on its 75th Anniversary
Aside Bar
Notes from the Chair
News Research at the Post
People
Rewarding a Job Well Done
Winter SLA Recap
Poynter: News Research in the  Newsroom
News Research with an Ethnic Touch
Technology Tips: ABC's Intranet
Public Reference

Web Extras:

Training Copy Editors
Election Winners

News Library News
SLA News Division Home

 

Small News Libraries
Rewarding A Job Well Done

By Marica MacVane

Most managers operate on the premise that you praise in public and correct in private. Employees thrive on positive encouragement. Unfortunately, managers are often so busy dealing with problems that we forget to focus on all the things employees do correctly and well every single day!

How do managers recognize performance? The people who responded to my questions posted on NEWSLIB use the traditional methods: regular recognition at staff meetings and the "great job!" salute in front of the rest of the staff immediately after a difficult "search and rescue" operation. We all seem to have "chocolate" in common. From the mysterious bag of M&M's to Tootsie Pops to actual boxes of fancy chocolates, there's nothing like it for bringing a smile to the face of any hard-working librarian (and don't I LOVE Valentine's Day when UMI sends my solid-chocolate heart!)

Some newspapers provide a more public way of saluting performances on a regular basis. Some print an internal newsletter, which celebrates great work throughout the company, not just the newsroom. Others have bulletin boards in the newsroom and hang up notices and/or the print versions of stories published with notes attached. Each manager is responsible for adding to the boards on a weekly basis. Barbara Hijek from the Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale) described SunSpot on their Intranet where kudos are posted for everyone in the newsroom to read. Some managers have developed innovative ways of rewarding employees for work above and beyond the call of duty. One of my favorites is the "time off" bonus. As Carol Campbell at the Daily Oklahoman explains, "I'm partial to giving time off, and I try to make it on Friday afternoon since we don't work weekends …. I have a small staff and they are all outstanding, so I tend to give everyone a couple of hours off on the same day. This is easy during the down times - December and January - but more difficult in hectic seasons."

Diane Logsdon at the Pantagraph reports that after a difficult week with lots of problems, "I will tell them just to go home early...since our staff is so small and we never know from day to day what may happen, I really don't plan anything but I think they like the surprises." Katy Miller describes an incentive used at the Memphis Public Library called "Bonus Days." If you worked three months in a row without a sick day, you were allowed to schedule an extra vacation day. She says, "It was a great incentive because it eliminated a lot of sick days that are taken for more personal reasons. It also allowed the library to plan for staff being out instead of someone calling in sick at the last minute."

Big projects elicit larger rewards. Laura Soto-Barra from the Florida Times-Union celebrates getting caught up from a backlog of stories with a "nice lunch in a good restaurant on company time and money. During lunch, I tell them how much I appreciate their help and what it means to the newsroom to be up-to-date with the database." She is sure to tell all the editors as well as her boss, the managing editor, what's going on and then, when things are caught up, she reports back with specific numbers: how many stories in how many days, etc.

When UPPER management provides the rewards, it is even sweeter. Kate Bird, graphics librarian for The Vancouver Sun & The Province, supervises (along with the library manager) Infoline, the selling arm of Pacific Press. Staffed by library assistants, last year Infoline handled over 10,000 requests from businesses and the public. Because they were so successful, the company treated them to a NBA game in the corporate box as thanks.

Julia Muller from the Savannah Morning News describes her company's "4 I" awards. Based on her company's newsroom goals of Innovation, Integrity, Initiative and Integration, each month nominations are taken from newsroom staff and voted on by the winners from the previous month. Winners get MONEY. Yes, money seems to be another great motivator. Some newsrooms have "small bonus" programs. Recipients are given money, ranging anywhere from $25 to $175, for exceptional work. These bonuses would be in addition to any regular bonus program the company participates in - usually in December. Barbara Hijek reports that their editorial division recognizes good work every month with a cash bonus in several different categories. A category they frequently enter is one called "Behind the Scenes" and the winner gets $175. The library has had two winners in the past three months and they hoping for another this month. And one thing that seems to be fairly common among news librarians is the "distribution of wealth" after attending the SLA conference. When visiting the vendors, I pick up a variety of "gifts" - and I also usually pick up a few items at the news division auction as well as souvenirs from the cities. When I come back, I hold a staff meeting and spread all the gifts out on a table. The staff gets to choose in order of seniority - sometimes there's a lot of horse trading going on that gets pretty funny.

Carol Campbell's staff is sooooo lucky. Once each year, she organizes a "field trip" complete with lunch (all on company time with company money). Field trips have included the state Historical Society library, Oklahoma City University library and research center and the Newspaper Museum. And this is in addition to a holiday Christmas lunch at a nice restaurant (from Carol herself) and several other lunches during the year on the company's bill. I told Carol I wanted to work for her.

Laura Soto-Barra said it best. "The important issue here is moral and job satisfaction. If they feel rewarded, they feel good about the job. If they feel good about the job, they work better."

Marcia MacVane is the Reader Services Manager at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. Her email address is mmacvane@pressherald.com.


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