When we talk about organizational climate, we immediately imagine the work environment. But, do you know its real meaning? Are you aware of how your employees feel about the company?
What is the concept of organizational climate? Know that this term is essential for the development of any commercial organization. In addition, the organizational climate reflects on quality of life, efficiency and, consequently, greater productivity.
Experts point out that unmotivated and dissatisfied workers use only 8% of productive capacity. However, in companies where they are valued and encouraged, the percentage of individual production reaches 60%.
But what to consider to identify whether the organizational climate is positive or needs to be improved? Factors such as satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, human resources policies can influence the organizational climate.
To collaborate with managers, we created this content to help them identify models of positive environments and suggestions to further improve existing ones. Follow!
What is organizational climate?
We classify as organizational climate the set of a series of factors , such as the feelings and perceptions that people have in relation to the workplace.
They can be positive or negative, and their impacts can generate good or bad performance in the company.
These elements include the way workers relate to each other; how they work; levels of commitment, motivation and even productivity. Improvements must be continuous in order to make the organizational environment favorable.
This task should be the responsibility of human resources (HR) as well as department leaders. To improve this climate, it is important for the company to adopt periodic assessment tools such as organizational climate surveys.
Through a well-designed questionnaire, employees point out what works and what needs to be improved. Based on the results, HR must create strategies to increase satisfaction, talent promotion and growth rates.
What is the organizational climate for Chiavenato?
Writer, professor and administrative consultant, Idalberto Chiavenato is a great promoter of human capital within work organizations. He sees the workforce as the focal point of organizations.
Therefore, it must be continually valued and encouraged . This, according to him, reflects directly on the quality of the organizational climate. According to his conception, this work environment has several aspects such as the psychological atmosphere and the characteristics of the organization.
They can be perceived directly or indirectly by the team, motivate and even dictate behavior. Chiavenato observes that the organizational climate indicates levels of satisfaction or not and the relationship between different aspects of the company.
Among them, the HR policies, the management model, mission, values, communication, professional development and even the way the worker sees or identifies with the work and the organization. Factors that should and can always be improved, according to the professor.
What is the purpose of the organizational climate survey?
It ranks as one of the most important tools for identifying problems and pointing out changes and improvements . The main objective of the organizational climate survey is to carry out an analysis of the work environment.
From the results, managers identify the levels of satisfaction with the work environment, and find ways to further improve the environment and relationships at work.
After all, through strategic questions, the HR sector is able to diagnose the difficulties and create an efficient action plan to correct them and further improve the work environment and activities.
This can be done, for example, through an efficient communication channel or periodic meetings. This organizational climate survey must be prepared with attention and care. Reflection on the business must be a priority.
It requires planning and well-crafted questions. There are several models available, but basically all prioritize things like structure, responsibility and cooperation.
How important is the organizational climate?
Understanding the organizational climate of a company generates greater understanding and insight into what employees think and how they relate to the workplace. It influences motivation and performance.
Either on the positive side or not. For this reason, several factors must be periodically analyzed, such as the format of the relationship between management and subordinates; the cleaning; ergonomics; healthiness; rest or break times, among others. After all, not only good wages motivate and retain workers.
Bad and unhealthy environments discourage, disappoint, do not promote engagement. On the contrary, they increase employee turnover and, consequently, affect the company’s image in the market.
Benefits for the company
Working in a company that offers a satisfactory organizational climate is the desire of all professionals.
After all, this location will directly reflect on personal and team satisfaction rates , as well as on the quality and performance of daily activities.
Remembering that the organizational climate must be cultivated and encouraged through daily positive actions. It contributes to generate positive impacts and good management. Among the main benefits we highlight:
– More proactive and productive employees ;
– Happiness and improvements in internal communication;
– Retaining talent;
– Good habits among employees;
– Engagement , creativity, motivation;
– Reduction in turnover rates, and absenteeism, conflicts and rework;
– Improvements in the physical and mental health of the team
– Lightness in relationships, appreciation and recognition
– Efficiency in carrying out tasks
– Financial feedback
– Increased internal and external trust
Differences between organizational climate and organizational culture
Before creating internal investment strategies, it is necessary to better understand the differences between organizational climate and culture. The themes are often confused and can interfere with good business management.
Each of the terms has its own characteristics and must be treated and identified in a clear and effective way, so that the results are satisfactory for all involved.
Basically, the organizational culture brings together the values and rules that the company has established and the organizational climate is everything that is related to the work environment. So let’s decipher each one of them:
– Organizational culture – It refers to the values, habits, beliefs and rules that guide the administration of the business, as well as the behavior of the team.
The organizational culture should not be static, but transformed and improved according to the needs of the market and the organization.
Among its pillars are: innovative culture; team work; Effective communication; conflict management; respect for differences; social impact and the customer as a focus.
– Organizational climate – This refers to the work environment and the way workers see it. A liability of daily construction, the organizational climate is a strong indicator of quality, management and even productivity.
These can be positive or negative. A positive organizational climate depends on several factors such as creativity, growth opportunities, effective communication, collaboration, etc.
What is a positive organizational climate?
Positivity always generates good results and the workplace is no different. A positive organizational climate is one where people are valued, where results are satisfactory and creativity in management processes is encouraged.
It is a highly effective element for the company and its employees. Experts point out that in Brazil, six out of ten people value a pleasant work environment.
To reach this level, it is necessary to be attentive to the needs of the team and create motivational actions such as praise for good performance, rewarding through prizes or incentives, engaging teams, among other initiatives.
Innovation can also be a strong ally to improve the environment and quality at work.
Positive organizational climates require actions such as improving identification with the role, relationships between leaders and colleagues, autonomy, achievement and companionship.
What are the main characteristics of an organizational climate?
But how to perceive the characteristics of a work environment? This psychological atmosphere portrays the company’s relationship with its employees.
This organizational climate has its own characteristics and can be responsible for excellent performances, such as business failure.
We list below the main traits of this type of environment . Check out!
– Gossip, rumors and noise in communication should be avoided;
– Maturity and awareness should be encouraged;
– Stimulate healthy competitiveness;
– Increase team spirit;
– Give continuous feedback on performance;
– Establish clear and efficient communication;
– Stimulate commitment and the overcoming of attainable goals;
– Celebrate and recognize individual and team achievements;
– Reduce turnover and absenteeism rates
– Awaken a sense of belonging in the team.
Know the types of organizational climate
Just as people’s moods and individual personalities are variable, organizational climates can also be different . It is not static, it can vary according to the actions of each of its members.
It can also influence the production process and results. So let’s get to know a little more each of the three classifications of organizational climates. Check out:
– Good or high – It is when we find happy workers, participating in the company’s projects. Where the environment has clear, efficient processes, with its values and objectives very well defined.
– Bad or low – Always undesirable this organizational climate does not have good actions or efficient management. It is harmful for the company and workers, as it causes layoffs, demotivation and low productivity.
– Neutral – This is a middle ground environment . It is not chaos, but neither does it present positive factors for change. The positives must be maintained and the flaws corrected.
Strategies to promote the organizational climate
– Create efficient internal communication tools;
– Establish an organizational climate survey schedule;
– Invest in professional improvement, with training, courses or lectures;
– Involve and engage the teams;
– Respect the hierarchy, improving relationships;
– Maintain cleanliness and healthiness of work environments;
– Improve the ergonomics and comfort of furniture;
– Respect schedules and workload;
– Pay attention to days off and rest breaks;
– Provide adequate work infrastructure;
– Invest in technology and process development;
– Encourage healthy relationships and habits;
– Opening up dialogue, creativity and new ideas;
– Respect the labor legislation;
– Institute career plans ;
– Create feedback mechanisms, as well as recognition;
– Offer attractive salaries and corporate benefits;
– Engaging leaders and managers throughout the process.
What is the organizational climate survey?
Considered a solution to diagnose work environment levels, the organizational climate survey should be periodic. Through it, managers can identify what is working and what can be improved.
After all, it is the employee who is directly linked to the results. Therefore, he must have an active voice in the production process.
He can point out successes, shortcomings or failures. Based on the results, HR can plan efficient strategies to improve this work environment.
This survey is usually designed with questions pertinent to the workplace. The answers will indicate the degree of involvement of the teams, as well as the difficulties and possible solutions.
This diagnosis is important for defining short, medium and long-term initiatives to improve workers’ health, safety and quality of life.
How to identify and measure an organizational climate?
Knowing whether the employee is satisfied and motivated in the work environment is the duty of every manager who is concerned with maintaining a good organizational climate. The difficulty however may be in identifying these factors.
What tools to use for this and how long does it take to reuse them? As we have already seen, internal research is the best way to get all the answers, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the work environment.
Despite the numerous existing difficulties, in Brazil, 75% of professionals declare themselves satisfied with the work they perform. But what about where they are located? Will this percentage hold? To find out the answers, we suggest some tools:
– Organizational climate survey – Prepare questions relevant to the quality and perception of employees in relation to the workplace;
– Determine the happiness index at work (IFT) – This indicator was inspired by the gross domestic happiness index (GNH), created by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP);
– Use the happiness canvas – A ranking board where workers rate their happiness on a scale of one to five;
– Analyze people management indicators – Such as absenteeism, turnover or staff turnover and retention.
Importance
Each of the aforementioned initiatives is aimed at discovering employee satisfaction levels in relation to the work environment.
This is important for managers to check the company’s performance, quality of life and organization at work, interpersonal relationships, among other factors.
The adopted management model can be changed in view of the results presented. The relationship between the company and the employees must be a priority to maintain high levels of collaboration, happiness, credibility and productivity.
After all, work is where we spend most of our days. And he should bring us personal and professional pleasure.
How to apply the search
Designing and applying the organizational climate survey requires coherence and some important steps. Below are some steps of this process:
1 – Define a specific topic to be addressed in the questions
2 – Plan and choose the methodology that will be used. If it’s going to be on paper or online, for example
3 – Before applying the survey, inform employees about the objectives of the work
4 – Collect the data, compute and interpret the results
5 – The results must be disclosed at the end of the work
6 – Gather HR to plan correction and improvement actions
Model questions for organizational climate survey
As companies are not the same, organizational climate surveys should not be standardized. Of course, in general, they follow a pattern of questioning in relation to their objectives.
But they need to be adequate to the business profile. Some models can separate questions into topics such as: professional life; leadership; coexistence; organizational communication; remuneration, benefits and appreciation; infrastructure; training and external factors.
We list some questions that can be included in the survey, such as:
– How do you see your relationship with the company and vice versa?
– Do leaders perform their roles well?
– Do you see scope for professional growth in the unit?
– What factors motivate them and which demotivate them?
– What is your biggest challenge at work?
– What are the difficulties or shortcomings?
– What can be improved?
– Are the workload and schedules respected?
– Do you feel valued?
– Are your pay and benefits satisfactory?
Examples of organizational climate survey
Some existing models can be used and adapted. Among the best known are:
Litwin and Stringer’s model (1968) considers nine factors:
– Structure
– Responsibility
– Challenge
– Reward
– Relationship
– Cooperation
– Conflict
– Identity
– Standards
David Kolb’s model (1986) considers other factors in addition to those already mentioned by Litwin and Stringer:
– Conformity
– organizational clarity
– Warmth and support
– Leadership
Model by Roberto Coda (1997)
– Compensation
– Business maturity
– Collaboration across functional areas
– Professional appreciation
– Identification with the company
– Communication process
– Sense of work
– Global human resources policy
– Access
Model by Roberto Sbragia (1983)
– State of tension
– Emphasis on participation
– Proximity of supervision
– Human consideration
– Autonomy present
– Obtained prestige
– existing tolerance
– perceived clarity
– prevailing justice
– Conditions of progress
– Logistical support
– Recognition provided
– Form of control
Model by Ricardo Silveira Luz (1995)
– The work itself
– Functional and cross-department integration
– Wage
– supervision
– communication
– Professional progress
– Interpersonal relationship
– Job stability
– decision-making process
– Benefits
– Conditions of the work structure
– Relationships between company, union and employees
– Discipline
– Remuneration
– Security
– Organizational goals
– Orientation and commitment to results
Conclusion
Everyone knows very well that working in a company that offers a good working environment combined with compatible wages and benefits would be ideal for everyone. But, unfortunately, the corporate reality in Brazil is far from being like that.
The important thing is that managers are understanding that valuing human capital in their corporations brings several advantages to employees and employers. And this has caused positive changes in organizations.
Especially in relation to the organizational climate. The work environment must be constantly monitored, where the human resources sector and leaders can assess employee perceptions.
This is to praise what is working and identify possible failures, pointing out solutions to resolve them. In this sense, the organizational climate survey has proven to be one of the most efficient tools.
Professional appreciation, compatible remuneration, respect for working hours and rest times, as well as health care are among the guidelines for having a good organizational climate. Offering health insurance is a good option.