I'm still tallying up responses, but wanted to add on to Harry's point. An 
institution at which I formerly worked also recognized the anniversaries 
of the staff-- 3 years of service, 10 years, etc. That was a nice gesture.

Laura Ruttum
Manuscripts Specialist,
Manuscripts and Archives Division
New York Public Library
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Maarja Krusten <[log in to unmask]> 
Sent by: Archives & Archivists <[log in to unmask]>
07/12/2006 12:24 PM
Please respond to
Maarja Krusten <[log in to unmask]>


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Re: Improving staff morale






Excellent point, Harry!  And nice, succinct, and practical, in contrast to 
the serial rambling notes with comments on management theory that I sent 
to the list this past weekend! 

As a matter of fact, the formal or informal recognition of agency 
anniversaries provide excellent opportunities for historians and 
archivists.  This actually has been noted in at least one publication that 
I've seen:  "a historical office can boost an agency's morale by giving 
its personnel some identification with its traditions and place in 
American history."

(Source:  The Society for History in the Federal Government, Federal 
History Programs:  A Guide for Heads of Government Agencies (1987), 1-2.)

Your cake idea is a very nice use of this!

Best regards,

Maarja


>>> Harry Heiss <[log in to unmask]> 7/12/2006 11:28 AM >>>
Laura,

This might not be appropriate for your organization, but something that I 
do here at the Bureau of the Public Debt is to recognize our anniversary. 
It's not something that I originated, but rather something I appreciated 
and borrowed from a former supervisor at the National Park Service in St. 
Louis [thanks, Kathryn].  Each year on our "birthday," I buy a sheet cake 
at Costco--for the record, out of my own pocket, less than $20--put it in 
the employee break room, and send an email to all the staff to help 
themselves.  It's low-key, and I try to make it fun.  Last year I had the 
cake decorated "Celebrating 65 years of Debted Bliss," an oblique 
reference to the ballooning federal debt that our bureau manages.  Good 
luck!

Harry

Harry G. Heiss, Archivist
Bureau of the Public Debt
Department of the Treasury
799 Ninth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20239

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202.504.3516 [voice]
202.504.3630 [fax]

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