Our Re|imagine project put a new face on our buildings, and we wanted our staff to have a similar mental re-set when their locations re-opened after a lengthy closure. Many staff were:

• skeptical of the purpose or need for renovations
• distrustful of what Admin was doing to “their” branch
• nervous about working at a different site with new workflows and co-workers
• not confident of some baseline skills
• worried about feeling disconnected from their patrons

We reframed this challenge as an opportunity for staff.

For each staff group, Administrators:

• Held a series of five meetings that covered mission and purpose, processes for closure, and construction milestones.
• Surveyed staff needs and preferences for their re-assignment.
• Provided weekly bookmobile service to patrons, allowing staff to maintain connection.
• Held monthly branch meetings to keep staff connected and provide updates.
• Held a two-week training and orientation before opening to patrons.
• Issued a post-mortem survey to all staff on process and outcomes.

• Transparency by library administration increased trust and eased staff anxiety.
• Staff reassignments helped build new relationships, leading to improved understanding and communication.
• Staff brought back process and workflow improvements to apply at their home location.
• Staff saw the impact of their feedback systemwide.
• Some staff originally resistant to working elsewhere took advantage of bidding opportunities to be hired into new positions in other locations based on their new perspective on the organization