Measuring organizational climate
Although the organizational climate is a complex concept, in the end it is still a set of properties, that with the right instruments can also be measured.
Why measure the climate at all?
The answer is simple: not everything is as it seems at first glance. If you are in a leadership role, you may misperceive a good organizational climate. Employees often cover up their dissatisfaction with management for fear of repercussions. First and foremost, we must therefore let them know that the measurements will be anonymous and that they have nothing to fear, since the survey is intended for improvement and not for punishment. By measuring the climate, you will get an insight into the actual situation in the company, you will see deviations from the expected results and the assumed situation, which will consequently help in the further planning work with managers and employees.
How can we measure it?
Of course, there are several ways to measure, but here we will introduce you to a simple two-step method that you can perform at any time.
You need to start by conducting a questionnaire that measures the organizational climate through various aspects of satisfaction. To conduct such a questionnaire, you will need a theoretical basis and other psychological questionnaires in the field of employee satisfaction measurement. It is important to include a number of factors that have been shown to influence the climate in the company. These are leadership and management of the organization, history and tradition, technology, type of service (industry), customers, expectations, information and other business subsystems, work processes, incentives, work organization, processes and goals and also the values that the organization stands for. And in the first place, of course, the way employees are treated.
Once you get the desired number of completed questionnaires, compile a report on the results of the survey and formulate a proposal for framework measures to raise the organizational climate. It is crucial that the results of the measurements also reflect the management, which must also understand the importance of a positive organizational climate for the well-being and efficiency of employees. Together with them, then formulate proposals for measures to improve certain aspects of the organizational climate.
Of course, you can also seek help for climate measurement from an external contractor, who will deliver the results of the survey and suggestions for further development.
