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LADC Student Employees Guide

This website is intended to provide information regarding the various tasks, duties, and functions performed by student workers at the LADC.

Here at the LADC, we are committed to maintaining healthy, responsive communication with each other.  Check messages daily, communicate with employees clearly, and proactively be responsible for your own shift coverage when absent.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is that app that the LADC uses to coordinate, facilitate, and maintain open communication between both student employees and library supervisors.

SHIFT COVERING

Your shift is your responsibility.  When you agree to work at the beginning of the term, that shift becomes your responsibility for the semester. When a student worker knows they will be missing a shift we request that they message the group to seek anyone willing to provide the missing coverage. We ask students to do their best to get missing shifts covered. 

No one is expected to cover another persons shift.  However it is always appreciated when a teammate helps out a fellow co-worker in need.  Persons willing to cover the shifts of others are usually the persons most people are also willing to cover for. When we all are willing to give we all succeed.

  • Student workers can cover any shift they wish as long as they do not exceed 20-hours total for that work week.

CALLING OUT PROCEDURE 

  • Once the schedule for the semester is set those times become your responsibility to work and to cover if you are unable to work your shift.
  • If you are unable to make it to a shift:
    1. Message the LADC Student Employees group to see if someone is able and/or willing to swap shifts with you
      • If someone can HUZZAH!
      • If no one can at that time, then
    2. Direct message the student supervisor letting them know the following:
      • The shift you will be missing
      • The attempt to get your shift covered.

  • REMEMBER: 

    • Let the team know as soon as you know their might be an issue!
    • Swapping shifts is preferred over having someone simply cover your shift.
      • MAKE THE SWAPS AS EVEN AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP TIMECARDS ACCURATE.
      • Covered shifts, rather than swapped shifts, can lead to people getting more hours than AU policy allows.
      • If someone does cover a shift for you, be willing to return the favor if they ever need a shift swapped in the future.
  • Communication and the willingness to happily give of yourself is the key to a healthy work environment.

TIME-OFF REQUESTS

  • As soon as you become aware of events, trips, or other school or life events that you know will interfere with your scheduled work times, let us know so that we all can plan accordingly.
  • Ideally, employees are to give library staff two-weeks notice before any expected absences.

When you know you will not be able to make it to a shift:

  1. Let your Student Supervisor know ASAP, ideally in-person.
  2. Send out a TEAMS message informing the group of your absence asking any willing person to cover your shift.
  3. If no responds within a week, send out a follow-up message reminding the group of the day and time for which you are seeking coverage.
  4. If no one is willing or able to cover your shift, get with your Student Supervisor. At this point, you will almost always still be able to take off the requested time, but your Supervisor will have to make sure staff is able to cover your shift if your fellow student workers cannot.

RUNNING LATE

  • If you are running late for a shift, let library management know ASAP.
  • Be specific as to how late you will be.
    • DO SAY: "Hey, I'm sorry.  It looks like I'm going to be about 10 minutes late.  Be there ASAP."
    • DON'T SAY: "Hi, sorry, I'm going to be a little late."

Estimates regarding how late one will be helps us to plan accordingly.  "A little" late may be 5-minutes for one person and may be 30-minutes to another.

IMPORTANT MESSAGES, UPDATES, AND INFORMATION

  • Remember to check Teams often for messages, updates, and information from library staff and co-workers.  Teams can only be an effective tool for communication if we make clear communication a priority. 
  • Check emails and messages within the first 15-minutes of clocking in to work. 
    • Checking Teams messages and your emails are a part of the First-15 expectations.
  • Leave a "LIKE" to a group comment to show that you have received the message. 
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”
– Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
“In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly.”
– Mark Sanborn, author, speaker and entrepreneur
“Unity is strength…when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”
– Mattie Stepanek, poet and motivational speaker
“Excellent communication doesn’t just happen naturally. It is a product of process, skill, climate, relationship and hard work.”
– Pat McMillan, author, CEO
“Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”
– Gerald R. Ford, former United States president
“If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles.”
– Jim Rohn, author, speaker and entrepreneur