Leading Through a Crisis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Mary Piorun ◽  
Regina Fisher Raboin ◽  
Jessica Kilham ◽  
Martha Meacham ◽  
Vivian Okyere
Keyword(s):  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Leadership Team ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
Academic Health ◽  
Conscious Decision

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lamar Soutter Library was faced with moving off campus and into a remote work environment. As the crisis unfolded, it was critical for staff to experience a unified leadership team that was dedicated to their well-being, empathetic to the unprecedented situation, and committed to providing exceptional service. At that time, library leaders made a conscious decision to apply the principles of servant leadership as the framework for how, as a team, the library would see its way through the pandemic. What follows is a case study in the application of servant leadership in an academic health sciences library during the COVID-19 crisis.

Hospital employees’ perceptions of circadian lighting: a pharmacy department case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 422-437
Author(s):  
Lindsay J. McCunn ◽  
Jeremy Wright
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Psychosocial Variables ◽  
Affective Organizational Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Physical Work Environment

Purpose An interdisciplinary body of literature has focused on the role of lighting in mitigating patient and employee stress and error-producing conditions in hospital settings. The purpose of this study is to explore how a new circadian lighting system installed in a small pharmacy unit with no penetration of natural light is experienced by staff. Psychosocial variables, such as affective organizational commitment, perceived productivity, well-being, and satisfaction with the physical work environment, were measured to further a line of inquiry that may help facilities managers and hospital administrators make optimal choices when purchasing lighting and commissioning retrofits. Design/methodology/approach Post-occupancy evaluation; mixed methods survey design. Findings While affective organizational commitment, perceived productivity, well-being and satisfaction with the physical work environment were experienced, to some extent, by employees, low average responses about whether the setting had improved, as the circadian lighting had been installed suggest that the retrofit did not affect them as positively as expected. Counter to the intention of the installation, participants did not perceive the circadian lighting as having strongly improved their levels of stress, concentration, mood or fatigue at work. Originality/value More research on simulated daylighting should be done to optimize occupant responses to lighting retrofits in hospitals. This case study supports recommendations to measure relevant psychosocial variables before and after a design change. Similarly, sized units within hospitals and health care facilities that possess analogous dimensions and design constraints concerning a lack of daylight penetration will benefit from this study’s mixed methods, results and interpretations.

A millennial manager skills model for the new remote work environment

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerri M. Camp ◽  
Marilyn Young ◽  
Stephen C. Bushardt
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Active Listening ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to propose that millennials – those born between 1980 and 1995 – are uniquely impacted by the long-term impact of the pandemic, which has accelerated the work from home movement and exacerbated organizational issues associated with working remotely. Millennials, on the cusp of embarking on important leadership roles in this new remote work environment, pose challenges and opportunities for organizations will that will last long after the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a viewpoint based on a narrative review and on the authors’ professional experiences within organizations. Based upon these findings, this paper has reimagined the Mumford skills model to explore millennial managers in this new remote work, post-pandemic context. The goal of this narrative review was to provide a full picture of the “Millennial manager” and the challenges they face in becoming effective managers, as well as highlight the important strengths they bring to the table. Findings Managers may have challenges regarding job satisfaction, productivity and organizational commitment. The positive factors are millennials prefer flexibility, teamwork and creating a positive work-life balance. The negative side has to do with isolation and the ability to embrace the organization culture in a remote environment. This model shows positive and limiting factors of millennials related to organization effectiveness. The major propositions and model were that millennium managers in this new environment increase interpersonal communication to maintain trust, effective mentoring, resolve strong organizational culture and ensure effective delegation and conflict resolution. Practical implications This study discovered challenges for managers, including developing loyalty and improving employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Active listening is necessary for team management to show that all team members are valued irrespective of the work environment. Active listening and empathy will increase social support at work, which improves personal well-being and productivity. Millennials will continue to use their technological skills, their desire for teamwork and their preference for participative management, resulting in becoming an invaluable asset in this era of organizational transformation. The challenge for organizations is to realize the millennial generation possesses many talents and must successfully engage them in the pursuit of organizational goals. Originality/value This paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding millennials in organizations with a specific focus on the new work environment created by the global pandemic. The authors hope that their adapted skills model – the millennial manager skills model – becomes an important resource for articulation this new environment that millennial managers are in and that this model can be further refined and expanded through empirical exploration.

scholarly journals The influence of emotional intelligence and trust on servant leadership

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieta Du Plessis ◽  
Zani Wakelin ◽  
Petrus Nel
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Statistical Modelling ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Servant Leaders ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: Constructs were explored from a positive organisational behaviour (POB)paradigm. The aim of POB constructs is to develop and improve employees’ psychological strengths, well-being and performance.Research purpose: The objective of this research was to investigate the relationships between servant leadership, emotional intelligence and trust in the manager. A model depicting a sequential process of interrelationships amongst the constructs was proposed.Motivation for the study: Organisations worldwide acknowledge the role that leadership and emotions play in psychological and physical well-being, as well as job performance of employees. Therefore, organisations need valid and workable interventions to assist their employees to function optimally in the work environment. By understanding the sequential relationships between servant leadership, emotional intelligence and trust, suggestions for such interventions were put forward.Research approach, design and method: Both survey and statistical modelling methodologies were employed to guide the investigation. Standardised questionnaires were used to measure the three different constructs, based on the responses of 154 employees on a composite questionnaire.Main findings: A high level of reliability was found for all the measurement scales utilised.The results of the structural equation model indicated that emotional intelligence and trust in the manager affected servant leadership.Practical/managerial implications: Emotional intelligence training should form part of a necessary component in the development of servant leaders. Sufficient time should also be given to aspirant servant leaders to build relationships when coaching and mentoring their subordinates in order to build trust.Contribution/value-add: The model of sequential relationships between the constructs assists in understanding the antecedents of servant leadership in the work environment.

scholarly journals Exploring Teachers' Back Pain Concerning Their Habits, Rules, Leisure Activities, and Physical Activity Breaks at Work

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 004695802110602
Author(s):  
Katarina Galof ◽  
Lea Šuc
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The Impact

The role of a teacher in the Faculty of Health Sciences involves teaching students, preparing lessons, and participating in other activities such as research projects and management processes. Professional participation is part of their involvement in daily occupations, which are taking place in teachers’ socio-cultural context and are necessary for their well-being. Teachers' work performance can be enabled or constrained by their professional habits, including habits while using computers. We investigated awareness of and adherence to recommendations on ergonomics and preventive measures for back pain among the Faculty of Health Sciences employees. This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between the influence of their habits during computer use and back pain. An online questionnaire was sent to the teaching staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences ( n = 115). 73% of the staff opened the online questionnaire, 43% fully completed the questionnaire. Data were processed using SPSS statistical program, version 20.0. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and factor analysis were calculated. Analysis of the results showed a significant statistical association between the professional habits and roles [daily computer use ( r = .443, P < .01); position of different body parts during computer use [head ( r = .669, P < .001), shoulder ( r = .446, P < .01), legs and feet ( r = .483, P < .01), screen inclination ( r = .577, P < .01), adjusting chair settings ( r = .608, P < .01), distance between eyes and screen (r = .766, P < .01)]; physical activities break at work [ r = .758, P < .01], and back pain. Considering ergonomic principles when designing the work environment can have a major impact on employees' health and quality of work. As experts in the field of health sciences, faculty members are not sufficiently aware of the impact of an improperly designed work environment on employee health, which affects work habits.

scholarly journals A health sciences library promotes wellness with free yoga

2019 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tallie Casucci ◽  
Donna Baluchi
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Academic Health ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
Exercise Activity ◽  
Feedback Data ◽  
Online Feedback ◽  
Trial Series

Background: Yoga is a popular physical exercise activity with mental health benefits. Public and academic libraries have offered free yoga as their primary movement-based program.Case Presentation: In an attempt to bolster wellness and connect to the health sciences community, an academic health sciences library offered free yoga as a ten-week trial series in summer 2016. At the end of the trial series, weekly attendance and online feedback data determined that this series should continue.Conclusions: Yoga provides health professionals and students with a welcomed midday break from a stressful work environment. Additionally, by partnering with yoga instructor trainee programs, the financial burden is low for the library.

scholarly journals Excel for data visualization in academic health sciences libraries: a qualitative case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Willie Zametkin LaPolla
Keyword(s):  
Data Visualization ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Educational Programming ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Health ◽  
Current State ◽  
Medical Library ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Widespread Availability

Background: Data visualization is a growing topic of discussion and area of educational programming in health sciences libraries. This paper synthesizes information on eight institutions’ experiences in offering Excel-focused data visualization workshops with the goal of providing an overview of the current state of educational offerings in this area.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted by phone and email with librarians at institutions that offer Excel-focused workshops, which were identified by reviewing the websites of Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries members and the 2019 Medical Library Association annual meeting program.Results: Librarians from six institutions were interviewed, online class materials from one institution were reviewed, and information from the author’s institution was included, resulting in a total of eight institutions. Educational offerings in Excel-focused data visualization ranged from one workshop to five workshops in a series, which typically first presented information for beginners and then progressed to more advanced data visualization skills. Regarding motivations for offering these workshops, librarians stated that they were committed to providing instruction in software programs that were already familiar to users. Workshop evaluations, when available, were generally positive.Discussion: Because of its widespread availability and usage, Excel offers a compelling opportunity for providing hands-on data visualization instruction in health sciences libraries.

scholarly journals External Reporting Lines of Academic Special Libraries: A Health Sciences Case Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy G. Buhler ◽  
Nita Ferree ◽  
Tara T. Cataldo ◽  
Michele R. Tennant
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Library Directors ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Academic Health ◽  
Changing Trends ◽  
External Reporting ◽  
History Of

Very little literature exists on the nature of external reporting lines and funding structures of academic special libraries. This study focuses on academic health sciences libraries. The authors analyze information gathered from statistics published by the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) from 1977 through 2007; an anonymous online survey of AAHSL library directors; and phone conversations with a select number of directors who were willing to take part in follow-up interviews. The history of changing trends in reporting lines over the years and a view of the diverse arrangements, including strengths and weaknesses, currently existing in academic institutions are examined.

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