Coming full circle, I think it's all about the people and how interested and inspired THEY are by their lives and work. By happenstance, I was watching a CNN special early today about happiness in the workplace equalling increased productivity. A British industry-coaching outfit named 'iopener" (http://www.iopener.co.uk/) that stresses positive psychology at work was featured. At one point, Albert Schweitzer was quoted as saying:" Happiness consists of good health and a poor memory." Anthony Robbins, the motivational speaker, was interviewed and his opinion is that happiness is like a muscle that must be exercised. So, simplistic as it seems, maybe people all just have to work harder exercising that happiness "muscle."

What I'm noticing about this is that they were talking with students about the passion they had for their jobs and work place, and that a lot of this passion came from a collegial and easy-going work environment. I've been asked to do a presentation in a couple weeks to middle schoolers about what it is like nowadays to be a librarian. I am hoping to communicate the same sense of surprise and unexpected wonders ...

Along the lines of what Gillian suggested, someone else wrote an article about what workplaces REALLY need to lift those spirits. Pretty interesting, especially since it is not written for libraries, but praises them.

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20061201/column-buchanan.html

While thinking about how we can make our workplace more like Google (aside from the gourmet lunches, onsight daycare, massage, yoga etc.), I came across a post on ACRlog, referring to David Armano's "Living Manifesto". I thought it was worth sharing.....Who doesn't need some inspiring words on a wintery Friday afternoon...

http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2006/10/manifesto_redux.html

Yes, it is all about Google still and all about Google again, but this is a nice little summary passed along by Patricia Anderson, and I thought it appropriate to send on to UMHS HR, which I did:

Subject: From the Google Friends Newsletter

+ The Best Place to Work +
What makes a job somewhere you want to go day in and day out -- or
not? The pay and the benefits should be good, however you define
those; the culture should fit well with you and each of the employees,
so that you (all) feel like doing your best. At the end of the day,
though, it's the ineffable chemistry of the people, along with
whatever the specific perks are, that seems to be the right
combination. Recently Google was honored to be recognized as #1 in the
annual 100 Best Companies to Work For, an annual survey published by
Fortune Magazine. This time, 446 companies applied for consideration,
and 100,000 workers evaluated their employers. Of course we're very
pleased to have been chosen. But even more, we appreciate being in the
company of many great businesses (all of them older than Google) that
know the way to be successful is to pay attention to the people
first."