Motivating Student Employees

Presented by the Student Assistant Supervisors Workgroup

MOTIVATING STUDENT EMPLOYEES

How did you feel your first day on the job? First impressions are everythingWhere do I fit in? Invest the timeExpectation SheetDo they understand their duties?Scavenger hunt training exerciseSurvey training exerciseTraining games

ORIENTATION & TRAINING

Great, your new student is trained, now you can kick back and relax, nope!

Ask questionsCheck their workTraining ChecklistPerformance Reviews (student evaluation by

supervisor, self evaluation by student, supervisor evaluation by student)—yes, regular, scheduled performance reviews

FOLLOW UP

Acknowledge successes immediatelyCoach them on improvements immediatelyBe specific when coaching or taking corrective action

measuresUse the term “we”Give them attainable goals and the tools to get thereKeep students informed of things going on in your

divisionMake students part of the decision making process

COMMUNICATION

No money? What else is there?Cyber Café gift card or other free to inexpensive

reward Interesting and new tasksAssisting in training new co-workersCreate teams to work together on special projects“Promotion” to new job title and dutiesOutstanding Student Assistant AwardStudent Assistant Appreciation Week“Thank you,” “Great work on project X!”Other resume boosters?

RECOGNITION & REWARDS

Remember the supervisors you liked? Be that kind of supervisor!

Be consistentBe a mentorHave staff meetings F2F or onlineTake the time to get to know your studentsRecognize birthdays or the completion of a large

project Stay motivated or get motivated!Buy into the company missionNegative attitudes are contagious Morale

ENVIRONMENT

What motivates you? Job security? Interesting work? Achieving goals?

Let’s make a plan for our department/division based on those motivators…

PAIR AND SHARE ACTIVITY

Baldwin, David A. Complete Guide for Supervisors of Student Employees in Today’s Academic Libraries . Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2007.

Baldwin, David A., Frances C. Wilkinson and Daniel C. Barkley. Effective Management of Student Employment: Organizing for student employment in academic libraries. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 2000.

Kathman, Michael D. and Jane M. Kathman, eds. Managing Student Employees in College Libraries . Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2006.

Sweetman, Kimberly Burke. Managing Student Assistants. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2007.

GREAT RESOURCES