How Does Work Climate Affect Performance?

Gregory Rodway, MBA

Workplace Climate Consultant

Increasing employee absenteeism and tardiness Decreasing employee productivity Disengagement and inflexible work habits Reports of dissatisfaction among your clients The failure of your work group to meet specific

performance targets Frequent or unresolved conflict among staff

Diagnosis

Common staff complaints: “This place is so disorganized. We don’t know what

direction we are going in. Today, one task has high priority, but tomorrow a different task has priority”.

“We are asked to produce results, but we don’t have support or necessary resources”.

“No one appreciates our work. No one says thanks”.

Diagnosis

Reflection

Think about a time when you were part of a great, high performing workgroup or team…..

What did it feel like to participate? How did you respond?

Impact!

Climate impacts how you feel and behave.

What is Work Climate?

Work Climate is the prevailing workplace atmosphere as experienced by employees

Climate captures what it feels like to work in a group, it is the weather of the work place.

What is Work Climate?

a negative work climate impedes performance and leads to increasing levels of absenteeism and turnover.

a positive work climate leads to and sustains employee motivation and improved performance.

influences the “discretionary effort,” or level of effort above and beyond job expectations, that employees exert.

Why impact Climate?

When we looked at the impact of climate on results ….. work climate accounts for nearly a third of the results. And that is simply too much of an impact to ignore.” (Goleman, 2000, p82)

What causes Work Climate?

School Leadership Effectiveness

IndividualCharacteristics& Competencies

Job Requirements

Leadership & ManagementStyles

Work Climate

Motivation & Performance

Adapted from Watkin, 1999

What Do The Experts Say?

What the boss of a workgroup does is the most important determinant of climate” (Stringer 2002, p99)

“50 to 70 percent of employees’ perception of working climate is linked to the characteristics of the leader” (Goleman, 2001, p42)

Reflection

Think about a time when you were part of a great, high performing workgroup or team…..

What did the manager/leader do? How did the manager/leader behave?

How do Manager/Leaders influence Work Climate?

Manager/Leaders influence climate by focusing on:

Ensuring clarity and standards Providing support, rewards and

responsibility Delivering challenge and encouraging pride

and team commitment

How is Climate Determined?

Use a climate assessment tool - assessment tools are available commercially

Usually a 180 degree view, i.e. manager/leader and subordinates

Collect additional qualitative data Contrast manager/leader view with

subordinate view

Climate Assessment Uses?

Assessment / Measurement – used as a performance indicator

Development – to give feedback for developmental purposes

One example - the MSH Work Climate Assessment (WCA)

Easy to Use

12 Items measure Clarity, Support, Challenge

Manual Calculation or Spreadsheet Support

MSH WCA Example

1. We are recognized for individual contributions

2. We have a common purpose

3. We have the resources we need to do our jobs well

4. We develop our skills and knowledge

5. We have a plan which guides our activities

6. We strive to improve our performance

7. We understand each other’s capabilities

8. We are clear what is expected in our work

9. We seek to understand the needs of our clients

10. We participate in the decisions of our work group

11. We take pride in our work

12. We readily adapt to new circumstances

Use the WCA

Complete the assessment Review your results What gaps exist / which gaps are largest?

Why impact Climate?

The better the leader/head understands their climate, the underlying competencies that can be used to shape it and how to use leadership (and management) styles to motivate, the greater possibility of sustained success.” (Watkin 1999, p13)

Appendix

Work Climate Process

Five Step Process:- Prepare Administer Analyze Report Act

Facilitation – Prepare

Ensure Goals are Clear Select assessment Who will be assessed? Where and when will the assessment

occur? Is an Administrator needed to manage the

data collection?

Facilitation – Act

Measurement Only Consultant Review

Feedback for Work Groups Consultant Review – “road test results” Manager Feedback Strategy Development Work Group Action Planning

References

Goleman, D. 2000, “Leadership that gets results”, Harvard Business Review, March–April

Goleman, D. 2001, “An EI-Based theory of performance” in The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace, eds. G. Cherniss & D. Goleman, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco

Johnson, S. & Rodway, G. 2002, “Creating a Work Climate that Motivates Staff and Improves Performance”, The Manager Volume 11 Number 3, MSH Boston

Stringer, R. 2002, Leadership and Organizational Climate, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

Watkin, C. 2000, “The leadership program for serving headteachers: probably the world's largest leadership development initiative,” The Leadership and Organization Development Journal, Vol.21 No.1