In the latter units of this course, students are guided through content and conversations surrounding morale, which then move into conversations about self-preservation and alignments with critical hope praxis. As part of these discussions, students were offered the optional opportunity to take the Low-Morale Experience Assessment. Following are two sets of results (one from each cohort; results are shared with students’ permission).
Cohort 1 (Pre-service LIS Students; N=11)
- 82% agreed they have experienced low-morale according to the 2017 Kendrick study definition; 18% were not sure.
- 36% indicated their experience has lasted more than three years; 18% 1- 3 years; TIE: 9% 7-9 months, 4-6 months, 3 months or fewer.
- 64% indicated they experience(d) system abuse; 55% experienced emotional abuse; 36% experienced negligence; 27% experienced verbal/written physical abuse.
- TIE: 27% each indicated that the perpetrators were campus administrators and library colleagues; TIE: 18% each indicated library administrators and library supervisors/managers; 11% indicated library users; TIE: 9% each political/municipal leaders and Board of Trustee member(s).
- Staffing & Employment and Uncertainty & Mistrust were the most indicated Enabling System and Impact Factors (46%). Other indicated Impact Factors and Enabling Systems were TIE: Organizational Structure and Leadership Styles (36%) and TIE: Policies and Politics (27%).
- 82% of respondents indicate feelings of Frustration. Following are feelings of Sadness and Anger (73%); Worry (46%); Shame and Despair (27%).
- 27% indicated that they have developed or been diagnosed with a physical health condition as a result of their low-morale experience; 9% note that a current condition has worsened (conditions include: situational anxiety; weight gain, not sleeping, not eating, not exercising, stressed-induced illness)
- 9% indicated that they have developed or been diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of their low-morale experience; 18% note that a current condition has worsened. (conditions include: situational anxiety, OCD).
- 40% indicated that a current mental health condition has worsened as a result of their LME, including depression, PTSD, anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). 20% indicate they have been diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of their LME. Another 20% are not sure.
- 63% have noticed/experienced a decrease in professional engagement; 55% have noticed a desire to change careers and a decreased willingness to collaborate; 36% have noticed increased procrastination and a decrease in work productivity; absenteeism; 18% have noticed increased absenteeism; another 9% noticed a decrease in professional development.
Cohort 2 (Continuing Education students; N=6)
- 83% agreed they have experienced low-morale according to the 2017 Kendrick study definition; 17% were not sure.
- 67% indicated their experience has lasted more than three years; 17% 1- 3 years; 17% 3 months or fewer.
- 33% indicated they experience(d) emotional abuse; 28% experienced system abuse; 22% experienced negligence; 17% experienced verbal/written physical abuse.
- 28% indicated that the perpetrators were library administrators; TIE: 22% each indicated library colleagues and library supervisors/managers; 11% indicated library users; TIE:6% each indicated vendors, first responders, and campus administrators.
- Uncertainty & Mistrust, Leadership Styles, and Library/Librarian Perceptions were the most indicated Enabling System and Impact Factors (100%). Other highly indicated Impact Factors and Enabling Systems were TIE: Policies, Organizational Structure, and Staffing & Employment (83%), TIE: Training, Contagion, Deauthentication, Human Resources Limitations, & Faculty Status/Promotion & Tenure (67%), and TIE: Whiteness and Politics (50%).
- 100% of respondents indicate feelings of Worry, Frustration, and Disillusion. Following are feelings of Grief/Loss, Depression (83%); Regret, Despair, Skepticism, Sadness, Anger, and Resolve (67%).
- 33% indicated that they have developed or been diagnosed with a physical health condition as a result of their low-morale experience (conditions include: Anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, stress-induced psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis)
- 33% indicated that they have developed or been diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of their low-morale experience; 16% note that a current condition has worsened. (conditions include: anxiety and depression, panic attacks, depression, PTSD, C-PTSD).
- 40% indicated that a current mental health condition has worsened as a result of their LME, including depression, PTSD, anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). 20% indicate they have been diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of their LME. Another 20% are not sure.
- 83% have noticed/experienced a decrease in professional engagement and a decrease in work productivity; 67% have noticed a desire to change careers and increased absenteeism; 50% have noticed a decreased willingness to collaborate and increased procrastination; 33% have noticed increased tardiness; 16% have noticed a decrease in professional development; another 16% noted “Escapism.”
In addition to offering a space for reflection about these workplace experiences and associated career impacts, this data continues to offer important up-to-the-moment contexts that surface how soon library workers are exposed to workplace harm (before they pursue the LIS terminal degree). Additionally, these data offer continuing validation of the experiences of library workers who have been practicing.
Students who engaged in this optional exercise were able to link their reflections to conversations regarding low-morale experience countermeasures and pathways to library workplace culture improvement as we moved through the rest of the course.
