Managers, take note: Organizational climate is key to true success

Written by María Eugenia Raffaele

Culture is tangible, it’s everywhere – especially in your organizational climate

Let’s say you run a successful company, one that offers excellent benefits and competitive pay, but still, your employees’ overall performance, engagement and retention do not go the direction you expect. What would be the reason? The answer could be your organizational climate.

Employees are the only ones who give life to your organization. You know this, right? So your true success or failure depends on them. If the climate in your company is not pleasant for people who work there,  productivity gradually declines, as they have no motivation to carry out their everyday tasks.  So , if you are looking for ways to make a difference in your business and get that competitive edge all companies crave,  here’s my advice:   Build a strong corporate culture and make the organizational climate fulfilling and inspiring everyday.

What is organizational climate?

To put it simply, the climate of an organization is pretty much like the personality of a person. Just as every individual has specific features that make them unique and different from other people, each organization’s climate has qualities that distinguish them from the rest. Organizational climate is the set of features of a work environment which affects not only individuals’ perception of the organization they belong to, but also their level of engagement, commitment and productivity. 

Let’s point out the top-3 main features of organizational climate that will be our guiding light in this article:

How to make it happen

As we can see, organizational climate definition is simple, but the greatest challenge is to make it happen. Regardless of the size of your business, it’s paramount to build a positive organizational climate for your employees. 

There are plenty of actions you can take to improve the work environment. However, in order to truly make a difference, we’d like to give you some key tips to consider – especially nowadays, when the world of work has become so agile and demands more adaptability, productivity and commitment than ever.

As you can see from the key feature above, organizational climate and culture go together and are inseparable. Actually, building a strong organizational culture with defined core values comes first, and is the foundation that will nurture the work environment every day.  

Bear in mind, then, that the tips listed below are not to be taken as isolated practices implemented every once in a while to “cheer employees up”, but should be the result of an adaptable and modern culture that  fulfills employees’ needs and makes them feel valued every day.

Set clear expectations and make people part of the planning process

A culture with clear goals gives people a sense of direction and purpose  about the vision of the company. Plus, when people participate in the goal setting process, they are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged and committed.  Remember this new normal demands new needs. If you want to guarantee a positive organizational climate, it’s crucial you revise goals with your employees and make adjustments as needed.

Enhance communication and diversity

A healthy and positive work climate is only possible when people are given equal opportunities to learn, innovate and speak their voice.  Become an active listener and create spaces where people can connect at a more personal level – get to know each other’s ideas, highlights, and likes. This way, they can learn from one another and get closer despite physical distance. Remember that when connections among people are stronger, based on equality and trust, teamwork and productivity also grow.

Make people feel valued through recognition and feedback: 

Did you know that 77% of the workers state that they would be more involved in their work if they felt appreciated for  their achievements? This says a lot not only about the organizational climate but especially about its culture. Have you wondered lately what you’re doing to make your employees feel appreciated and valued? Here are 2 tips:  Give employees recognition for their performance and the possibility to give and receive ongoing feedback from different people and areas across the company. This way, you’ll be putting forth an organizational climate where human talent and collaboration play a key role.

Measure your organizational climate and make adjustments

Holding 1:1 meetings and carrying out surveys can be great opportunities to keep a pulse of how people are doing and feeling. If you make meetings and surveys a regular habit, you get to reinforce bonds, and keep track of your employees’ emerging needs and ideas. When employees notice you care for their work environment, they feel appreciated because you are open to make adjustments to improve their daily experience. This significantly impacts people’s commitment and loyalty, lowering attrition and boosting overall performance.

Who are doing it right?

Here are some key companies whose organizational climate and culture make a difference in their employees’ daily  experience. Take note!  

GOOGLE: They make it clear to Googlers every day: “We’ll take care of you while you take care of your work.” What makes their organizational climate unique?  They put prime focus on building an outstanding organizational culture where people feel valued and supported.

FACEBOOK: They are remarkable for their successful way of creating a collaborative work environment, where people are connected and eager to innovate together. There’s spontaneity and a relaxed atmosphere, which boosts people’s creative work.

ADOBE: Especially recognized for its creativity, they make special emphasis on creating an organizational climate based on trust. Other than micromanaging, employees are given absolute trust to create and propose innovating ideas of their own.

GLOBANT: Known for inspiring companies to grow through groundbreaking initiatives, one of Globant’s main goals is to make employee’s lives more meaningful. To create a positive work environment, the company removes busywork and repetitiveness and opens Globers the door to experience growth, purpose, autonomy, self-acceptance and positive relationships every day. Takeaway: Create a culture where collaboration and the ability to work together produce a common unique result.

By now, it’s crystal clear that  organizational climate and culture are inseparable. So, if you aim at becoming more competitive and truly successful, you’ll need to reflect upon how you are handling both. Remember that organizational climate determines the way employees perceive your company, and their performance is a reflection of their daily experience – the more your care about them, the more successful your company will be.

We’re passionate about helping companies reach their full potential, so remember we can always give you further guidance to build an organizational climate that is fulfilling and inspiring for all your employees.