Many library and information science scholars, as well as those in adjacent fields, publish research findings that would be useful to help public, academic, special, and school librarians do their day-to-day jobs even better. But few practicing librarians have the time to find the papers that would be relevant, let alone read them. So LJ is piloting a new column called Research Briefs, which will summarize in plain language some key takeaways of recent research on librarianship, and point to the full paper for those who want to know more. If you are a scholar or journal editor and would like your paper to be considered for Research Briefs, please email Lisa Peet at lpeet@mediasourceinc.com.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace burnout has reached an all-time high. Amid the tension introduced from social distancing protocols, increased awareness of social inequities, and public health uncertainty, tensions weigh heavier than ever on library personnel. In “The Effects of Counterproductive Workplace Behaviors on Academic LIS Professionals’ Health and Well-Being,” Christy Fic (Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania) and Maggie Albro (University of Tennessee Knoxville) study how counterproductive workplace behaviors (CWB)—which include theft, sabotage, interpersonal aggression, wasted time or resources, and workplace rumors—lead to professional burnout in academic librarians and archivists.

Fic and Albro distributed a survey through email listservs in October 2020. This survey resulted in 327 completed responses. The most common CWB reported included workplace gossip, requests for last-minute coverage, inappropriate record keeping, lack of initiative, and refusal of accountability. The “Behavior Score Outcomes” table indicates the number of low, medium, and high behaviors as documented through by the survey respondents. Fic and Albro conclude that low to moderate levels of CWB are common in academic libraries. Research into CWB shows that these behaviors are pervasive: As cited in the article, a 2018 survey by the American Library Association found that 91 percent of librarians have experienced incivility at work. Levels of stress and experiences of incivility seem particularly high for those who are new to the profession or to their library.

By better understanding these negative workplace behaviors, library administrators can reduce their occurrence, improve workplace satisfaction, and reduce burnout, Fic and Albro maintain. This begins with recognizing the pervasive nature of CWB and the resulting effects on physical, mental, and chronic health outcomes for library employees.

One of the major significant findings of the study is the relationship between duration of library employment and mental health struggles. Specifically, those who are new to the field or working at a new job may more easily identify CWB in their positions. This may be because of the stress and pressure that results from taking a new position. Systemic CWB issues at libraries affect survey respondents at low to moderate levels regardless of other demographic factors such as type of institution, career duration, or age. The survey did not account for race, gender, or sexual orientation. Higher levels of CWB result in increased difficulty for respondents to maintain their mental and physical health, as well as greater challenges to those who manage chronic health conditions. These behaviors may impact the well-being and effectiveness of employees. This is a consistent finding within the survey and across the wider research conversation. Fic and Albro conclude that the responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy working environment falls to library leaders who need to develop strategies to recognize and address CWB.

Although the survey findings were not comprehensive, they do depict some of the ways that CWB are common problems that play a key role in rising levels of burnout within library careers. Addressing and responding to CWB are key to redressing their effects, but for many academic library leaders, job promotions come with little experience or tools for improving workplace cultures. For library managers and leaders who may enforce consequences for counterproductive workplace behaviors, seeking education and training on this topic seems vital for developing supportive workplace environments. Fic and Albro provide additional suggestions for how to reduce the tensions resulting from CBW.

• Conduct your own workplace research by checking in with employees to identify negative trends.
• Develop effective workplace communication strategies.
• Ensure that workloads are reasonable and balanced.
• Establish and enforce healthy workplace behaviors.

Although workplace tensions and counterproductive behaviors may be universal, the intentional fostering of proactive and collaborative communities allows employees to perform at their highest potential. For more on this study and further suggestions for developing healthy workplaces, read “The Effects of Counterproductive Workplace Behaviors on Academic LIS Professionals’ Health and Well-Being.”

Following the publication of this article, the authors have continued their research into CWBs with the aim of changing norms to make workplaces healthier for LIS professionals. Maggie Albro explains, “Since the article, Christy and I have been finalizing a book chapter that features a deeper dive on these behaviors and health. We followed up with a number of survey participants in interviews to get a more nuanced look at their experiences, and the chapter, which is due to be published in the coming months in Academic Librarian Burnout: Causes and Responses (edited by Christina Holm, Ana Guimaraes, and Nashieli Marcano), will explore the ways counterproductive workplace behaviors have impacted our group of 13 academic librarians and archivists.”