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Information Sheet

Resources from Chat

• SHRM - Society for Human Resource Managers
• A resource for Employee Recognition Ideas
• Simon Sinek's A Bit of Optimism: Feelings at Work Podcast

Recommendations from Webinar Participants

1. Lead by example and set clear standards from day one – A participant said good bosses are driven, lead by example, and establish structure early.
2. Trust employees, listen actively, and be consistently available – Multiple participants emphasized listening as a central behavior.
3. Advocate for employees’ needs – Participants noted good supervisors stand up for their staff.
4. Adapt supervisory approach to different personalities and roles – A participant shared that her former boss knew how to work differently with each employee based on their position.
5. Give frequent, timely verbal appreciation throughout the day – A participant described thanking employees continuously “all day long” when tasks are completed.
6. Acknowledge employees immediately and explain why their action mattered – Participants noted the importance of timely recognition.
7. Use regular check-ins and build relationships through consistent support – A participant described daily check-ins, appreciation, and asking how staff are doing.
8. Track who has received feedback to avoid unintentionally overlooking people – One participant mentioned using sticky notes to ensure everyone is acknowledged.
9. Give small, thoughtful, sometimes random tokens of appreciation – A participant shared picking up small items for staff to show genuine gratitude.
10. Share positive public feedback with staff so they see their impact – A participant highlighted telling staff when patrons or community members praise the library.
11. Offer personalized recognition (notes, flowers, direct compliments) – A participant shared bringing flowers, leaving notes, and giving personal encouragement.
12. Ask employees how they prefer to receive feedback (public, private, written, etc.) – Several participants supported customizing recognition methods.
13. Give employees time and space to cool down before addressing negative behavior – A participant recommended assigning a neutral task to let emotions settle.
14. Start difficult conversations with empathy (“Are you okay?”) – One participant described beginning by checking on the employee’s well-being.
15. Let employees share what’s going on in their lives before giving corrective feedback – Participants noted this can resolve issues more constructively.
16. Ask employees for their perspective first when addressing reported or witnessed issues – A participant shared starting with “Can you tell me what happened from your perspective?”
17. Connect feedback to organizational values – One participant uses core values (e.g., respect) to frame behavior concerns.
18. Share your own mistakes as a supervisor to model accountability – A participant recommended openly apologizing when supervisors make errors. 

Recommendations summarized by Microsoft Copilot from the webinar transcript.

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