Are you learning new things in your job?

Do you trust your co-workers?

Are you happy in your work?

 

The answers to these questions reflect the company’s climate from the employee’s perspective.

Organizational Climate concerns the policies and practices of an organization. Also concerns the behaviors that are encouraged and supported.

It is often defined as the recurring patterns of behavior, attitudes, and feelings that characterize life in the organization (Ekvall, G.)

Now, whereas culture is the system of values and beliefs that determine how a company’s employees and management interact, the climate is how your employees’ experience that culture.

To a degree, the organization’s climate represents the employee’s motivation to work for your company.

Organizational Climate can be measured through surveys and they are based on what we have called SOFT skills. These surveys express how employees feel about different projects and procedures.

Why is it important? 

Managers can use these results to understand specific situations and problems that may arise and quickly address them.

The responsibility of measuring and improving the work climate falls mostly in the HR department, nevertheless, people should be able to express their concerns on a regular basis. 

These practices can be reflected in:

• Policies.
• Encouragement.
• Rewards.

Organizational Climate can be Improved in many ways depending on the requirements and needs of the company. Now, there are some main issues that can be addressed so as to avoid problems.

• Encouraging teamwork and collaboration.
• Surveying employees every now and then.
• Offering rewards according to tasks and responsibilities.
• Establishing a clear Organizational Structure.
• Asking for feedback
•  

Companies can use “climate” to encourage the behaviors they wish from their employees and the most common issues and problems the company deals with.

One company may emphasize efficiency and productivity, so that focuses on employee attention in those areas while another company may emphasize customer service.

Financial services companies are likely to develop strong ethical climates that discourage unethical or illegal acts involving money

Construction companies, where people work with dangerous machinery, are likely to develop strong safety climates.

Check some examples of Organizational CLimate surveys here:

Creating organizational climate survey questions

So…

Tell me in the comments:

• What do you know about your company’s culture?
• What do you know about your company’s climate?
• Does your Organizational Climate match your Organizational Culture? Why?
• Do they run surveys to know the company’s organizational climate?
• Does your Organizational Climate match your Organizational Culture? 
•  

Some info taken from:

-talkingtalent.prosky.co

-paulspector.com

-heflo.com