New Hires Focus Group UX Study

In March 2016, the UX Team conducted a focus group with seven new library employees to identify ways the library's orientation and interview process could be improved.

Research Questions

• How do new library staff perceive the interview process?
• What is the orientation process like for new library staff?
• How do new library staff view the organizational culture of the library?
• What areas do new library staff identify could be improved in the library?

Methods

• Orientation satisfaction survey
• Focus group discussion among seven new library staff 

What did we Learn?

• New library staff generally thought the interview process was fair and relatively standard.
• New library staff perceived the library to be very student-oriented.
• New library staff identified that communication could be improved within library teams and to users.
• The organizational culture of the library was perceived differently by new library staff. Most reported the library was a friendly or caring workplace. Some reported it was relaxed or flexible; while others reported it was complicated or disjointed.

Our Recommendations

• Build alone time into the interview agenda to allow candidates a moment to decompress.
• Create a more standardized orientation process so that all new staff have similar on-boarding experiences.  
• Create a New Hire Orientation Handbook that outlines the orientation process and explains various library services, functions, and organizational practices.
• Incorporate shadowing into the orientation process
• Ensure new staff have meaningful projects to work on after orientation is completed.
• Enhance communication within the library and to various user groups