Harbingers of Harmony

Equipping employees with tools for engagement and change in the workplace

March 1, 2022

Librarian's Library by Araceli Mendez Hintermeister

When trying to bring harmony to the workplace, these titles can help equip employers and employees with tools to facilitate engagement and change.

Library Next: Seven Action Steps for Reinvention
By Catherine Murray-Rust
The pandemic has presented libraries with unusual challenges, creating an atmosphere in which change comes quickly and often. Library Next offers takeaways and activities you can adapt to your work style and organizational culture while navigating new developments in the profession. A self-proclaimed library disrupter, Murray-Rust shares knowledge from more than 40 years of experience working with libraries to help them address uninvited instability, whether through employee engagement or organizational change. She aims to inspire readers to make the necessary disruptions that will strengthen their libraries today and for years to come. ALA Editions, 2021. 120 p. $55. PBK. 978-0-8389-4839-2.

Wellbeing at Work: How to Build Resilient and Thriving Teams
By Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
Clifton and Harter are longtime leaders at Gallup, the analytics and advisory company behind the Gallup Q12 employee engagement survey and CliftonStrengths, a personality assessment tool. With extensive careers in employee engagement, the authors assert that employment satisfaction is the foundation of “the best possible life.” In this title, they explore five key elements of well-being—career, social, financial, physical, and community—and present institutional strategies on how to help employees succeed in these areas. The book is also filled with ideas and action items to help employees develop professionally and, in turn, thrive within each well-being element. Gallup Press, 2021. 336 p. $16.50. 978-1-59562-241-9. (Also available as an ebook.)

The Library Workplace Idea Book: Proactive Steps for Positive Change
By Heather L. Seibert, Amanda Vinogradov, and Amanda H. McLellan
Libraries often focus on growth and improvements for a more fulfilling patron experience but neglect to pay attention to the employee experience. This compilation of case studies and personal narratives showcases how library employees from a range of institutions are making their workplaces more fulfilling. The stories center on enhancements and conversations around areas that directly affect employees’ social and emotional well-being, such as work-life balance, inclusion and sensitivity, and leadership. There are also helpful tips for bettering a library’s physical environment to make workers more comfortable. These stories will inspire action to address pressing issues and bring innovative ideas to your library. ALA Editions, 2020. 192 p. $65. PBK. 978-0-8389-4645-9.

Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and ­Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work
By Melody Wilding
Sometimes the harmony you seek begins with personal reflection and change. In this book, Wilding, a human behavior expert and executive coach, shares decades of research and experience with clients on overcoming stressful thoughts, self-doubt, and self-criticism that can interfere with a person’s work. She describes how being attuned to your emotions, your environment, and the behavior of others can be your superpower. Through neuroscience-based strategies, she guides readers toward finding the self-empathy and inner confidence to voice their opinions, overcome imposter syndrome, and persevere against new challenges. Chronicle Prism, 2022. 256 p. $17. PBK. 978-1-79720-200-6. (Also available as an ebook.)

The Energized Workplace: Designing Organizations Where People Flourish
By Perry Timms
Organizations have been spurred by the pandemic to address issues that can jeopardize their success and employee health and happiness. Timms challenges organizations to engage in this moment of change by redesigning systems and processes to support employee engagement. Through case studies, testimonials, and a bit of soul searching, Timms digs into approaches for managing and protecting employee energy for organizational success. While this book is geared toward those who work in talent management and development, it includes general advice, tips, and tools for motivating colleagues and helping employees bring their energized and engaged selves to the workplace. Kogan Page, 2020. 232 p. $26. PBK. 978-0-7494-9866-5. (Also available as an ebook.)

Ask a Manager: How to Navigate ­Clueless ­Colleagues, Lunch-Stealing Bosses, and the Rest of Your Life at Work
By Alison Green
Green has more than a decade of experience as a workplace advice columnist on her Ask a Manager blog. In an attempt to provide workers everywhere with honest manager feedback, she found that her readers weren’t looking for résumé advice but rather for help with difficult conversations that, though necessary, were often avoided. In this book, she tries to give employees in all roles the confidence and know-how to tackle unique situations. When it comes to having difficult conversations with your boss, coworkers, or direct reports, you’ll find this book helpful in learning what to say and when—if at all—you should say it. Ballantine Books, 2018. 304 p. $16. PBK. 978-0-399-18181-8. (Also available as an ebook.)

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