Speaking of my favorite subject, cake, reminded me of something done at the last place I worked.  Two sheet cakes were purchased each month and placed in the staff lounge.  Next to the cake was a list of people whose birthday fell in that particular month.  It was a very popular idea.

 

 

Paul A. Oelkrug, C. A.
Senior Curator of Special Collections
McDermott Library
The University of Texas at Dallas
Phone:  (972) 883-2553
Fax:  (972) 883-4590

Never take life seriously.  Nobody gets out alive anyway.
The opinions expressed in this email are mine and not of my employer's


From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Ruttum
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 12:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Improving staff morale

 


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
[log in to unmask]


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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202.504.3630 [fax]

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