Page 74 - DLIS406_ACADEMIC_LIBRARY_SYSTEM

Unit 7: Training and Development Motivation

should, therefore, be clearly identified and communicated. Appraisers should first explicitly Notes
let staff know what the expectations are and then provide a development plan for how to meet
these expectations as well as necessary support. For the appraisal to be effective, apart from
institutional support, staff participation and interaction are essential in setting the objectives
and measurable targets, as well as drafting the standards and guidelines for evaluation. A
serious but positive and in-depth appraisal interview with semi-structured questions should
be carried out before the report is drafted. As Cole (2002) has suggested, “Where openness and
participation are encouraged, any system will be discussed first with those involved, with the
result that appraisals are more likely to be joint problem-solving affairs rather than a ‘calling
to account’ by a superior.” Interim discussion sessions with continuous follow up and revision
of the staff’s training and development needs should be arranged and should focus on communication,
sharing, feedback and coaching. This arrangement also allows appraisees more time to improve/
develop towards the objectives set.

Staff Development

As Jordan (2002) criticizes, “Appraisal may be seen as ‘form-dominated’ and staffs see the
exercise as one of form-filling.” This is because appraisal is often done as a one-off exercise.
In fact, effective appraisal should be continuous and developmental. As it has been emphasized,
appraisal should be an assessment for learning. Focus should be put more on motivation,
satisfaction, development and improvement than individual performance. Just evaluating individual
strengths and weaknesses or the output of particular tasks does not help the library much.
What the library needs is to aim at a cultural change through the staff development system
and explore ways and give suggestions of follow-up actions to help staff improve their knowledge
and working attitude and as a result, facilitate good performance. A strategic staff development
plan should be the target of each appraisal. Yet any plan is bound to fail if it is not followed
through.

Did u know? The development plan should state specifically what actions will be taken
if the proposed plan does not work out.

Many academic libraries rely on the central training programmes organized by the Human
Resources Department of their universities. These courses are usually catered for non-specific
audiences. Of course, general topics such as customer services, supervisory skills and management
are beneficial to all staff of any unit. Yet library staff members particularly need more specific
training that is related to library services and development, collection and resources, user
behaviour and needs, knowledge management, management of change and professionalism.
Libraries are thus advised to carry out systematic staff needs assessment, directly response to
the learning needs of staff members and organize specific tailor made development programmes.

Another way to reflect more accurately staff members’ performance and potential would be
to implement a job rotation scheme for staff. In some academic libraries, staff may have
worked under the same supervisor for a long time. As their performances are always assessed
by the same appraiser, problems of inaccuracy and biased assessment such as rating errors, if
any, are likely to retain. With an organized and systematic job rotation arrangement, staff
members will have the chance to work in different positions and apply different knowledge
and skills. There will be an accumulation of comments written by different appraisers. To be
appraised by more than one appraiser may achieve a more truthful appraisal and biased
judgment can then be avoided. For libraries where no scheduled job rotation is arranged,
managers may make use of the chances when staff members from various departments work

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