Organizational climate

Organizations tend to have their specific culture: a peculiar mix of values, attitudes, norms, habits, traditions, behaviors and rituals. Some organizations are well aware of their culture and regard it as a powerful strategic tool, used to orient all units and individuals toward common goals, mobilize employee initiative, ensure loyalty, and facilitate communication. They aim at creating a culture of their own and making sure that all employees understand it and adhere to it. The specific cultural values of an organization may concern, for example:

· the organization’s mission and image (high technologies, innovative spirit, superior quality);

· seniority and authority (respect for seniority; seniority as a criterion of authority);

· the treatment of people (concern for people and their needs, equitable treatment or favouritism, privileges, respect for individual rights, training and developing opportunities, how people are motivated);

· the importance of different management positions and functions (authority of personnel department; importance of different vice-presidents’ positions; respective role and authority of research and development);

· work organization and discipline (voluntary versus imposed discipline; punctuality; use of time clocks; flexibility in changing roles at work; use of new forms of work organization);

· decision making process (who decides; who has to be consulted; individual or collective decision making; need to reach consensus);

· circulation and sharing of information (employees amply or poorly informed; information readily shared or not);

· communication pattern (preference for oral or written communication; rigidity or flexibility in using established channels, use of meetings; who is invited to what meeting; established behaviour in the conduct of meeting);

· ways of handling the conflicts (desire to avoid conflict; preference for informal or formal ways; involvement of higher management);

· performance evaluation (confidential or public; by whom carried out; how results are used);

· socialization patterns (who socializes with whom during and after work; facilities such as separate dining rooms or reserved clubs);

· management and leadership style (paternalism; authoritative, consultative or participative style; flexibility and adaptability);

· identification with the organization (manager and stuff adherence to company objectives and policies; enjoying working with organization).