[Publib] Toxic Workplace - Interview Questions?

[Robert Balliot]

What questions should a potential library employee ask to determine if they
are

interviewing in a toxic environment?

I have received lots of email from librarians and para professionals
relating organizational

horror stories and asking for advice. With a healthy economy, the
competition for labor puts the burden on

management to retain quality staff.  With the lack of quality jobs, the
trend is the opposite.

 The recession has led to:


   - layoffs
   - demotions
   - salary freezes
   - salary cuts
   - reorganization
   - position eliminations
   - erosion of professionalism

 These economic realities have also created some extremely toxic
work environments.

The work sphere has always contained a superficial reality.  Everyone has

an act, a work persona – some may call it ‘professional demeanor’.  But,

what happens to an organization when management is rewarded for

alienating, abusing, humiliating and devaluing the staff?  When that comes

from the top, it sets the tone of ‘professional de*mean*or’.  Emphasis

on ‘mean’.



Many employees are fearful of speaking out publicly and sharing their toxic

stories, suffering in silence.  We have all shared knowledge on how to
interview

employees and how to be interviewed.  But, what questions should the
potential

employee ask to determine if they are interviewing in a toxic environment?
What questions

should a potential library director ask a library board of trustees?  Even
with

jobs being scarce, taking the wrong job and finding out that it is
a hellish, dysfunctional

organization later could be dangerous to your career and mental health.



Those who wish to remain anonymous, please reply off-list.  We will

compile the results for the benefit of everyone on

 http://bestofpublib.wordpress.com

 Specific examples of toxic work situations are welcome for analysis. Names

identifying institutions and personnel involved will be removed.

R. Balliot

http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/publib/attachments/20090824/cb627cd8/attachment.htm