Employment Issues of Philippine Academic Librarians in the Private Higher Education Sector

Abstract

Presents the current conditions of librarians employed in private higher education institutions (HEI) and their views on the ideal practice of every private HEI. Five cycles of employment were investigated: recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, career development, performance management, and training and staff development. Respondent librarians from private higher education institutions (HEI) were selected regardless of their rank, current employment status, gender preferences, and years of service. Results show that librarians in institutions supporting their well-being promoted high employee retention and increased job morale. Factors contributing to high employee retention include comprehensive salaries and benefits, regular salary increases, and transparent promotions. Factors related to job satisfaction and career development include honesty regarding work descriptions, job responsibilities and workload, service recognition, support for career and professional growth, and post-retirement assistance. A thorough review of the recruitment and selection techniques should be implemented, establishing clear duties and responsibilities of librarians through librarian and human resource department coordination. A living wage should be used as the baseline wage for librarians, and the employer’s support for professional growth, standardization of the performance evaluation scheme, and analysis of performance evaluation should be considered.