Happy Workers = Productivity



I turned on my radio this morning as my favorite morning show was saying goodbye to a staff member who, after 5.5 years was moving on to greener pastures.  The hot talked about the success of the show, an claimed it was not due to him, but to the wonderful staff he surrounded himself with.  The member leaving talked about what a happy place it was to work, how she often did not want to wake up early and come, but being there was an enlightened experience.  The atmosphere in this workplace, created by the host and the management was what made the station the great station it is.  The staff was encouraged to do their very best.  The atmosphere promoted this.

I thought about my high school experience as I listened to this.  I thought about the AP and principals who surrounded themselves with good people and then promptly took credit for all the good work they did.  The APs and the principals got the bonuses while the teachers worked on and on.  One AP I know is notorious for taking teacher ideas and then presenting them as her own.  When the teachers got too old, or too bold, the administration would do what they could to push them out the door. The environment was not a warm fuzzy place where people were happy to work hard and work for the good of the whole. 

Good people are now exiting all the time.  Teachers who never thought of retiring are walking out as soon as they hit the magic number that allows them too do so.  Others are actively looking for other positions or staying away for other things as long as possible.

This radio station is a business model that schools should follow.  Too bad they don't.