Download - How to Improve Organizational Climate
how to improveorganisationalclimate
April 2000
improving climate
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“We often talk about the promotion of aperformance culture, improved service deliveryand client service. We agree that people are ourkey resource for the overall performance of ourorganisations. The question is are we treatingpeople as if this is the case?”
Dr Brian Head, Public Service Commissioner, Queensland Public Service.
Introduction
Today’s public service operates in an environment
characterised by strong resource constraints coupled with
community demands for more and better quality services.
It is required to meet high standards of accountability and
ethical behaviour.
The constant search for more cost effective work
practices and methods of service delivery will continue in
the future. Moreover, rapid advances in technology are
having a profound impact on the kinds of jobs we do and
the ways in which we do them.
Salaries and related costs comprise around 40% of the
State Budget and over 70% of budget in some agencies.
Any attempt to improve public sector performance,
therefore must centre on the way in which the public
service workforce is managed and the ways public
servants work.
To provide a general framework for managing people
the Office of the Public Service Commissioner (OPSC)
developed A Focus on People – A Workforce Management
Strategy for the Queensland Public Service (QPS) [Figure
left]. The Strategy emphasis four factors: workforce
leadership; workforce performance; workforce capability;
and organisational climate which influence business
outcomes. The key to understanding the model is the fact
that it is a highly integrated system: a change in one of the
components will have an impact on each of the others.
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WORKFORCE PERFORMANCE
Creating a performance culture
centred on continuous improvement and
best practice
ORGANISATIONALCLIMATE
Creating a postive work environmentwhere people feel
valued and respected
WORKFORCE CAPABILITY
Having the right people in the
right place at the right time
WORKFORCE LEADERSHIP
Mobilising people to deal effectively with current and future challenges
BUSINESSOUTCOMES
A Strategic Framework for Workforce Management
Key indicators of how the workforce is managed and the
type of leadership and culture which exists, are clustered
around organisational climate. In 1997, Cabinet endorsed
the use of the Queensland Public Agency Staff Survey
(QPASS), or an alternative tool, to measure organisational
climate and morale in the QPS. QPASS measures ten
aspects of organisational climate:
• workplace morale
• workplace distress
• supportive leadership
• participative decision making
• professional interaction
• professional growth
• appraisal and recognition
• role clarity
• goal congruence
• excessive work demands
Most QPS agencies have now used QPASS or an alternative
instrument to measure climate and morale or staff
satisfaction. OPSC has worked in collaboration with many
of these agencies to demonstrate the links between
organisational climate and business outcomes.
OPSC also has significant long-term partnerships with
universities to progress the linkages between
organisational climate and morale and other measures of
organisational effectiveness.
This Guide
This guide provides ideas for managers and work groups on
how to improve organisational climate. The guide
progresses the general framework in the Workforce
Management Strategy by focusing on behaviours which
make a difference to workforce leadership; workforce
performance; workforce capability; and organisational
climate. As noted earlier, changes in one area impact on the
other elements in the Workforce Management Strategy.
Keys to success
This guide contains a range of behaviours and attributes
which have contributed to high scores on QPASS scales
(supportive leadership; professional growth; professional
interaction; participative decision making; appraisal and
recognition; role clarity; goal congruence and individual
and workplace morale) in a range of work groups.
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The critical factor for success in improving organisational
climate is to discuss with staff their particular needs
and concerns.
It is important for groups using this guide to understand
that strategies for improvement need to be developed
and contextualised by each particular work group
for them to have ownership and meaning to that
work group.
It is also critical to success that management
understands the significance of people issues in the
achievement of outcomes and is prepared to support
work group improvement strategies. Managers play a key
role in creating the work place environment, which is
reflected in QPASS scores.
Improvement in work group scores on climate and morale
can be obtained by implementing a small number of
strategies (2 or 3 achieved is better than 20 not achieved).
Most focus on improving processes or interpersonal
relationships. Many of these are cost neutral.
The research across the QPS has shown that those work
groups with higher scores on QPASS:
• are better able to deal with change in a positive
manner;
• are more robust in dealing with systems barriers such
as information technology problems; and
• are the best places to introduce new initiatives.
Further information
This guide should be read in conjunction with the
Queensland Public Sector Staff Survey (QPASS) Manual,
the QPASS Help Guide. Sample workshops for use in work
groups to identify strategies are available in the Employee
Opinion Survey “How to” Guide. These documents are
available on www.psier.qld.gov.au under the OrganisationalClimate link. Further information can be obtained from Workforce Strategies Branch, Public Sector Industrialand Employee Relations on (07) 3224 5490.
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supportive leadershipSupportive Leadership in this survey refers to the perception that managers are approachable,dependable, supportive, know the problems facedby staff and communicate well with them..
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating for
supportive leadership perceived their leaders
performing a range of the following behaviours.
• uses every possible opportunity to improve the
business literacy of staff by providing information on
the strategic context in which the department operates,
its key objectives and strategies and the links to work
group activity
• demonstrates by their actions that they do not require
absolute control by trusting staff to get their jobs done
• encourages self-reliance and self-confidence so that
staff takes responsibility upon themselves
• lets self managed teams and individual staff manage
their own work within reasonable and agreed limits.
This can be demonstrated by not changing decisions,
correspondence or reports unless the reasons are
clearly explained and the discussion focuses on
professional development
• is clear about what decisions they will make and what
decisions the staff will be part of and explains
decisions taken at other meetings to staff members
• supports the decisions made by staff. Instead of
rejecting a decision, asks how the staff member came
to that decision. If the manager then agrees, the
decision is supported, if they disagree, the manager
uses this as a developmental opportunity to explain
why the decision cannot be supported
• devolves decision making to the relevant level eg
encourages staff to address problems relating to their
own job responsibilities
• is available to provide advice and support and is fair in
sharing their time according to the needs of staff eg
doesn’t take calls during meetings with staff
• provides opportunities to participate in work group
decisions
• ensures teams have the capacity and authority to make
decisions so that they can quickly respond to problems
• encourages supportive relationships through mentoring
and professional development groups ie. staff working
together to reflect on project progress and outcomes
and what could have been improved and reporting
back to the group
• conducts regular meetings with both staff and the local
management team and ensures that staff consider
attendance as critical to work group success
• models the department’s values and behaviours
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• recognises staff and work group achievement by
formally acknowledging them at meetings, in other
forums and with colleagues
• provides a clear idea of what types of behaviours are
acceptable and unacceptable and why
• ensures that poor behaviour is not rewarded
• is open to discussion and negotiation
• deals with personality conflicts in the work groups or
between work groups
• is careful not to allow the work group to develop a
siege or victim mentality as this will impact on quality
of work life and business performance
• does not allow the work group morale to suffer
because of management inaction
• understands and promotes that staff do not always
need to get on personally but they do need to get on
professionally
• is strong enough to ask for advice if necessary
• focuses on the present and the future and not on the
past and past responses by exploring innovative
options to recurrent problems and doing something
to change work practices or policies that no longer
contribute effectively to work group outcomes.
• understands that there is not just one answer to
a problem and that they don’t always have the
right answer
• is consistent and delivers. If they say they will do
something then they do it
• assists staff to do their work efficiently by having a
quick turn around time on areas of comment or advice
• values staff problem solving by showing that it is all
right to make the occasional mistake
• puts on an occasional morning tea or other activity
to celebrate birthdays and other key milestones.
Encourages staff to organise such events and makes
time available to attend
• makes the effort to get to know about staff and
something about their lives outside work
• goes into ‘bat’ for staff on issues the staff see as
important. Where necessary advocates on their behalf
with senior management
• explains and provides information on unpopular
management decisions to staff and does not allow an
‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality to develop
• presents information in a positive manner so that staff
are better able to rise to the challenge
• takes care of their own professional development and
seeks personal and work group improvement
• allows staff to develop improvement actions important
to them based on climate and morale results
• implements some of the other activities outlined in this
guide to enhance work group skills, interpersonal skills
and work group environment
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professional growth
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Professional Growth in this survey refers to theperception that there is interest, encouragement,and opportunities for training and careerdevelopment.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating for
Professional Growth reported a range of the
following behaviours.
• support for training and development and other
professional development activity is demonstrated at
the senior management level through commitments in
strategic and business plans and resource allocation
• training and development is an element in the work
unit business plan and is allocated a budget. All staff
are responsible for ensuring that training is
appropriate and meets budget. Regular reports can be
tabled at team meetings
• training is tracked and recorded and reviewed to
ensure equity and efficacy in aligning with business
objectives
• work groups discuss the training needs of the group
and the individuals in that group and articulate the
links to business objective
• individuals can nominate their own training needs and
the activities they wish to undertake to meet these
needs and negotiate these with the work group
• replacement staff are provided, where possible and
appropriate, to backfill when off-work professional
development is undertaken so that this activity does
not lead to “catch up” work
• training to be undertaken is recorded on individual
and/or team performance or development plans and is
delivered
• time is made for individuals to pass the skills or
knowledge they learned through training or other
development activities to others in the group. This
means building in opportunities for contributing to the
professional growth of the work group eg having
regular time at team meetings
• opportunities are provided for staff to train others in
their specific skills and roles
• clear support is offered for staff who wish to engage in
additional education (eg tertiary education) and the
nature of this support is clearly articulated in policy
• new staff induction includes information on the
department’s objectives and key strategies, the links to
Government priorities, and the planning and reporting
requirements of the work group and the department
and their role in that
• clear information about possible career progression
opportunities is provided. If there is no career path in a
certain area then staff are informed of this and explore
other options for professional growth such as skill
maintenance activities, conference leave or further study
• opportunities to act up or act horizontally are provided
where available
• staff take part in selection panels for new work group
members to develop skills in interviewing and to
interact with staff at other levels. New graduates and
new staff are mentored
professional interaction
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Professional Interaction refers to acceptance and support from others, with involvement, sharing,good communication and help when needed.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating for
professional interaction reported a range of the
following behaviours.
• ways for staff to demonstrate department values in
behaviours in their interactions with clients and other
staff are included in business planning activities and
recorded as principles of behaviour
• formal and informal systems are in place to enhance
communication between units. Rotate responsibility for
staff to sit in on the team meetings of other work
groups to provide information to them about the work
of their group. Report back at team meetings on the
activities of the other groups
• opportunities are provided for all team members
participating in a project to see the finished products
(eg to get out on site, attend launch, be thanked in
internal communication).
• work based personal development activities are included
as part of professional growth and development activities
( eg team roles, personality types, conflict resolution)
• the focus is on team performance, not on individual
competitiveness
• the work group task and relational problems are
collectively solved at team meetings and/or in
task groups
• new staff are allocated a buddy
• a place to congregate as a work group is provided
• morning tea or some other informal meeting
arrangements are part of the culture of the work group
An excellent way to contribute to both Professional
Growth and Professional Interaction is through the
team meeting process. This works when:
• the role of Chair and secretary minute taker at
meetings is rotated. Set-up a buddy system for staff
undertaking this role for the first time and keep that
in place until they feel comfortable with managing
the process
• everyone gets a chance to participate in meetings by
commenting on issues, presenting project updates or
relevant information or reports. Staff are encouraged
to ask questions and feel comfortable asking others for
help or assistance
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• meetings have a set regular time. An agenda to which
staff can contribute items is circulated before meetings
• copies of all information relevant to the meeting are
provided to all staff prior to the meeting (eg financial
reports). Even if staff are not responsible directly for
budget performance, they will develop their knowledge
by being informed of the budget process and resource
allocation decisions
• the meeting emphasises that the team is the business
and it’s everyone’s responsibility to manage the team
• the meeting process is used to articulate how the work
group is going in meeting its objectives, for staff to
deliver updates on projects and to give information
about departmental activities. This is particularly
important in regional areas where staff often mention
lack of current information
• decisions taken by management without consultation
with staff are explained (eg decisions to buy new IT
systems)
• problems are raised and solved by the group
• a small number of more vocal individuals are not
permitted to take over meetings
• issues are dealt with as they arise. If matters cannot be
resolved at the meeting, definite actions and
timeframes are assigned
• emerging training and development needs are
discussed and group decisions made
• “reflection time” or a “check-in/check-out” process
are encouraged so that individual concerns can be
addressed
• formal minutes are taken and circulated through e-mail
or placed in an accessible place or in a common file
participative decision making
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Participative Decision Making refers to theperception that staff are asked to participate in decisions and given opportunities to expresstheir views.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating on
Participative Decision Making reported a range of
the following behaviours.
• staff understand the strategic context in which their
work group and department operate so that they can
make congruent decisions
• access to relevant information needed to make
decisions is readily available (eg budget, human
resources or other resource information)
• staff have a say over who comes into the team by
involving them in the selection process and allowing
them to take turns on selection panels
• opportunities for staff to work in cross-functional
teams are promoted
• staff are involved in decisions which affect them so
that they have ownership of decisions. This does not
mean endless consultation but rather working to an
agreed decision making framework
• staff can make and are supported in decisions relevant
to their responsibilities. They have job related
responsibilities and should be given accountability
for these
• a means for staff to access information or attend other
forums is provided (eg attend other team meetings)
• staff are kept up to date on changes to policy
and practices
• decisions are really participative and not made by only
a few of the same people in the work group
• staff suggestions are acknowledged and they are
thanked for their input
• the reasons for important decisions in which they have
not been involved are explained to them
• there are formal review processes for projects,
procedures and decisions so that the work group can
discuss what worked and what they would do
differently next time
• a bias for action is promoted and decisions relevant
to getting their job done are made in a timely way
• a positive work environment is promoted where
people are genuinely encouraged to make decisions
and ask questions to get information necessary to
making a decision
appraisal and recognition
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Appraisal and Recognition refers to the perceptionthat there is quality and regular recognition andfeedback on work performance.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating for
Appraisal and Recognition (A&R) reported a range of
the following behaviours.
• it is not assumed that putting in a formal appraisal
and recognition scheme will address low scores on this
scale. Low scores may mean more positive feedback on
a regular basis is missing
• informal appraisal and recognition among staff is
encouraged so that each individual is responsible
for showing encouragement and acknowledgment for
other staff
• A&R is a two way or three way activity (manager and
peers) with a developmental focus
• team based A&R systems which the team jointly signs
off on are used
• there is a section about what each individual will
contribute to the operation of the team in A&R forms
• A&R activities are based on what individuals are doing
at the current time and not what they were doing six
months ago
• A&R is simple, concise, meaningful and informal
• regular feedback and encouragement is provided by
management to staff. This might include having
occasional celebrations for birthdays and to
acknowledge positive team effort
• each staff member is encouraged to develop a list of
their achievements since the last review and also of
things that didn’t go so well or that they learned from
and would do differently. This should also include their
assessment of how they contributed to the functioning
of the team. Use this as the basis for discussion as it
encourages reflection on achievements and promotes
learning
• award programs, where they are used, are treated as
important and not delegated to the too hard or the
haven’t got the time basket
• any positive feedback such as letters of thanks from
clients are displayed and circulated
• negative feedback is dealt with as a learning situation
and staff are not immediately blamed. Explore the
feedback for its accuracy and what can be learned
from it
role clarity goal congruence
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Role Clarity refers to the perception thatexpectations, work objectives, responsibilities andauthority are clearly defined.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating on
Role Clarity reported a range of the following
behaviours.
• staff know the strategic objectives of the department
and their work group objectives which contribute to
these so that they can make appropriate decisions
• induction processes are in place and include a means
of letting new people know who does what
• there is a clear structure, and guidelines for performance
• a culture of tolerance of ambiguity is promoted where
staff have a number of sources of support when faced
with role changes (eg availability of leader for
consultation and peer support)
• circumventing the reporting system is discouraged
ie. if your are a senior manager do not encourage staff
to bypass their manager and come to you. If there is a
problem with communication in a work group, deal
with it
• self managed teams are responsible for allocating tasks
in the team
• staff are encouraged to learn what each team member’s
role is
• staff have the “freedom to grow roles” and the
flexibility to expand their jobs.
• the structure of self-managed teams is respected and the
work group has responsibility for managing its business.
Goal Congruence refers to the perception thatpersonal goals are in agreement with workplacegoals that are clearly stated and understood.
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating on
Goal Congruence reported a range of the following
behaviours.
• staff know the values of the organisation and see these
modelled in the behaviours of the management team
• business planning processes are transparent and
participative and align with departmental objectives
• the business planning process clearly articulates how
the work group will contribute to departmental goals
and values
• information about key decisions is shared
• team based performance plans are linked to unit and
department plans
• use of information services such as the departmental
intranet is encouraged
individual and workplace morale
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Individual and Workplace Morale refers to theperception that staff show enthusiasm, pride intheir work, team spirit and energy .
Work groups that demonstrated a high rating on
Individual and Workplace Morale reported a range
of the following behaviours.
• there are activities for staff to interact and “see each
other as people” such as occasional social events or
afternoon teas
• new and temporary staff are properly inducted through
introductions to the unit, inclusion in meetings, and
provision of a buddy
• time is made for business and relationship
development in the work place
• views of all staff are treated as important and equal
and everyone is encouraged to do this
• opportunities for staff to get to know the roles and
contribution of others are provided
• flexible work practices are promoted where
appropriate for service delivery
• focus on and reward positive behaviours
• there are clearly articulated lines of authority
• there are adequate resources for staff to do their job
effectively
• attention is paid to the physical working environment
eg sufficient office space for all staff, air conditioning is
available when needed, etc
• frustrations to do with IT and HR are dealt with in a
timely manner
• attention is paid to implementing some of the other
strategies in this document
• the work group is receptive to ideas and innovations
• staff contributions are valued and caste systems are
discouraged eg engineers are better or more important
than technical staff. It takes all staff working together
effectively to achieve great team performance
• career limits and possibilities are clearly identified
• change is managed positively by providing accurate and
timely information
• staff get regular feedback so that they can feel proud of
their work
• factors beyond its control don’t diminish the ability of
the work unit to fulfil its expected role with the public
or internal clients
• working long hours and having to travel great distances
is not a continual expectation of the work group
www.detir.qld.gov.auFurther information can be obtained from
Workforce Strategies Branch, Public Sector Industrial
and Employee Relations on (07) 322 46576