Two steering wheels – the mental health of employees and the management of libraries affected by pandemics and earthquakes: An academic library case study

Abstract

Goal. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of the earthquake in Zagreb and the COVID-19 pandemic on the employees’ returning to the workplace in May 2020 after the lockdown on a sample of six librarians in the Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. Methodology. In this research, a qualitative methodology of semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with a sample of six employees of the Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb was used. Results. The results of the research have shown that a sense of security in the workplace is very important for every employee. It has not been clearly determined whether the employees’ feeling of safety in the workplace was influenced more by the earthquake or by the pandemic. However, the interviewees’ responses show that the responsibility for a sense of security is divided into the personal responsibility of each employee and the responsibility of the institution. In conclusion, the results have shown that the employees consider the attitude of the institution towards them extremely important, and that the institution should show care for them through clear communication and stronger security measures. Limitations. Because of the nature of the research topic that some employees might have considered too personal, the authors selected the respondents who were more will-ing to discuss the emotional aspects. Therefore, it is recommended to investigate the possibility of generalizing the research with quantitative techniques. Practical use. These findings can serve as a guideline and provide instructions for the management of the institution on how to manage employees in the possible future highly stressful situations, which would contribute to better employee productivity. Originality. This research is the first of this kind in Croatia, and investigates the impact of earthquakes and pandemics on the sense of security in the workplace in Croatian libraries.