MA N A G E R

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING HEALTH SERVICES

2002
Volume 11
Number 3
THE
Creating a Work Climate That
Motivates Staff and Improves
Performance
In This Issue
EditorsN ote
H EA LTH M A N AG ERS A RE U N D ER PRESSU RE to achieve sustainable
results. To m eet this challenge, m anagers m ust develop high-perform ing
w ork groups and cultivate a positive w ork clim ate that fosters staff
m otivation. A positive w ork clim ate encourages and sustains staff m otiva-
tion. In fact, experience in industry has show n that a positive w ork
clim ate can account for nearly 30 percent of im provem ents in financial
results. H ow can the findings in industry be used to im prove em ployee
m otivation and organizational results in the health sector?
M anagers can often sense w hen the w ork clim ate is affecting staffs
perform ance. A bsenteeism , unm et perform ance objectives, lack of
initiative, and reduced interest in their w ork or organization are signs
that a w ork clim ate m ay be less than optim al and that staff m ay be
holding back the discretionary,or extra, effort they could bring to their
jobs. M anagers can often turn their w ork groups around by applying
leadership and m anagem ent practices that prom ote on-the-job clarity,
support, and challenge.
TH IS ISSU E O F THE MANAGER outlines the connections betw een w ork
clim ate, em ployee m otivation, and perform ance. It describes how m anag-
ers can assess the clim ate in their w ork group and show s how they can
use the results to m ake changes in leadership and m anagem ent prac-
tices that w ill m otivate their group to do the best w ork possible and
im prove results.
Recognizing the Impact of Climate on
Motivation and Performance......................... 2
W hat Experts H ave D iscovered about
W ork C lim ate.........................................................3
Understanding the Managers Role in
Influencing Work Climate................................ 3
Factors Influencing W ork C lim ate ..............4
U nderstanding W hat M otivates
Em ployees...............................................................5
External and Internal M otivation .................5
Focusing on D eveloping a M otivating
W ork C lim ate.........................................................6
Research Findings on the Effects of
Engaged W ork G roups...................................6
Improving Climate in Your Work Group
through Good Leadership and
Management.............................................................. 7
Indications of Low M otivation and
Perform ance ...........................................................7
U nderstanding Three Key
D im ensions of C lim ate .....................................8
Working SolutionsNicaragua...................... 9
Assessing Work Group Climate................. 10
How toApply the Work Group
Climate Assessment ...........................................10
The W ork G roup C lim ate A ssessm ent
Form .........................................................................12
A nalyzing the G aps.........................................13
Taking Action to Improve Your Work
Groups Climate....................................................14
Leadership and M anagem ent Practices
for Im proving W ork C lim ate .......................15
Working SolutionsWorldwide...................18
C ase Study
The N G O H ealthy Fam iliesIm proves Its
W ork C lim ate
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
2
E d ito ria l R e v ie w B o a rd
D r. A lfre d o A ri e z , JHPIEGO, Bolivia
D r. M e d B o u z id i, International Planned
Parenthood Federation, London
D r. B o rb a la K , SECS, Romania
A b u S a y e e d , TAI, Bangladesh
C e licia S e re n a ta , Department of Health,
South Africa
D r. E n riq u e S u re z , The Mexican Federation of
Private Health and Community Development
Associations
D r. A . B . S u la im a n , Planned Parenthood
Federation of Nigeria
S ix te Z ig iru m u g ab e , USAID, Mali
Fie ld A d v iso r
D r. E l o n o re R a b e la h a sa , PRISM, Guinea
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Recommended citation: Management Sciences
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Staff and Improves Performance The Manager
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MA N A G E R
THE
Recognizing the Impact of Climate on Motivation
and Performance
Health managers at all organizational levels are responsible for producing
sustainable resultsstrengthening institutional capacity, expanding access
to health care, and improving the quality of services. They are asked to en-
hance organizational, programmatic, and financial sustainability. They strive
to reduce health risks, morbidity, and mortality in their communities. While
they face multiple challenges to producing results, they cannot adequately
face these challenges and achieve results by themselves. They must rely on
the efforts of their staff and colleagues, day in and day out.
Most managers who have achieved results recognize how much their
achievements are due to a group effort involving staff members. Perhaps
these staff members contributed to a particular project or to a community
faced with overwhelming social and economic needs. Perhaps they gener-
ated new ideas or helped to improve a management system. Maybe they
simply stayed committed to their work under difficult conditions.
Overall performance is apt to be strong and sustained when both man-
agers and staff are motivated. They are committed to the mission of their
organization and work energetically to carry it out. They show up, take re-
sponsibility, cooperate with others, and follow through. Highly motivated
employees willingly address challenges, innovate, take risks to make things
happen, and achieve results. In contrast, unmotivated employees often do
not appear at work, fail to reach performance targets, and may even offend
clients. They may be uninterested in or opposed to new ideas or processes,
engage in staff conflicts, and communicate poorly with others at the work-
place.
Staff motivation to perform well is influenced by many factors, includ-
ing the climate in an organization. People think of climate as related to
weather conditions that affect their outdoor activities, but they may not
have considered the climate of their workplace and its effect on their
productivity.
W WW WW ork clim ate ork clim ate ork clim ate ork clim ate ork clim ate is the prevailing w orkplace atm osphere as
experienced by em ployees. It is w hat it feels like to w ork in a place.
Leadership and m anagem ent practices that provide clarity, support,
and challenge contribute to a positive w ork clim ate.
A positive w ork clim ate increases the discretionary effort,or level of
extra effort, that em ployees exert above and beyond job expectations.
A positive w ork clim ate leads to and sustains em ployee m otivation and
high perform ance.
Research has shown that work climate significantly affects employees de-
sire to learn and apply material, and ultimately affects results. For this rea-
son, it is critical that managers learn ways to improve a less than optimal
work climate. Improving the work climate is the responsibility of health
managers at all levels who oversee employees on a day-to-day basis, from
the executive director of an organization or program to the leader of a team
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
3
What Experts Have Discovered about Work Climate
of providers in a small clinic. All managers, even those
working in extremely resource-poor environments and
in large, demoralized organizations can produce better
results if they strive to improve the work climate.
This issue of TheManager can help managers who
supervise groups of employees to increase motivation
and performance by improving the work climate in
their group. It presents a way to assess work climate
and offers leadership and management practices that
managers can use on a daily basis to improve climates
that demotivate employees. These practices focus on key
factorsclarity, support, and challengethat create a
motivating work climate.
This issue was written by Sarah J ohnson and Greg
Rodway of the Management and Leadership (M&L)
Program of Management Sciences for Health (MSH).
Sarah J ohnson, a Senior ProgramAssociate, has imple-
mented leadership development programs that focus
on improving work climate and organizational results.
Greg Rodway, a Senior ProgramOfficer, has used his
years of experience in management assessment to de-
velop and fieldtest the Work Group Climate Assessment.
W hen w e looked at the im pact of clim ate on
financial resultssuch as return on sales, revenue
grow th, efficiency, and profitabilityw e found a direct correlation betw een the tw o.
That is not to say that organizational clim ate is the only driver of perform ance. Eco-
nom ic conditions and com petitive dynam ics m atter enorm ously. But our analysis
suggests that clim ate accounts for nearly a third of the results. And that is sim ply too
m uch of an im pact to ignore.(G olem an 2000, p. 82)
An analysis of data on 3,781 executives, correlated w ith data from clim ate surveys
filled out by those w ho w orked for them , suggests that 50 to 70 percent of em ploy-
eesperception of w orking clim ate is linked to the characteristics of the leader.
(G olem an 2001, p. 42)
W hat the boss of a w ork group does is the m ost im portant determ inant of clim ate.
The bosss behavior drives clim ate, w hich arouses m otivation. And aroused m otivation
is a m ajor driver of bottom -line perform ance.(Stringer 2002, p. 99)
Leaders can sustain perform ance im provem ents by creating a clim ate that m otivates,
develops, and retains talented people.(W atkins 2000, p. 13)
C LIM ATE AFFEC TS
PERFO RM A N C E
M AN AG ERS
IN FLU EN C E
C LIM ATE
Understanding the Managers Role in
Influencing Work Climate
An organizations work climate is affected by many fac-
tors inside and outside an organization: the
organizations history, culture, management strategies
and structures, and external environment, as well as in-
ternal leadership and management practices. As the
manager of a group of employees, you can control some
of these factors (such as your own management and
leadership practices), but not others. The following dia-
gram can help you understand those factors that you
can influence. The left column at the bottom of the box
indicates the factors over which all managers have some
control. The right column lists factors that may beyond
a managers influence unless he or she holds a very in-
fluential position.
For example, management systems areoneof thefac-
tors that managers havesomecontrol over. Managers
need to pay attention to systems, processes, and policies
that facilitatework getting donein theorganization. If
systems are overly bureaucratic and inefficient, both
managers and end-users need to periodically evaluate
them to seehow they can makethem effective, helpful,
and easy for staff to use.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
4
Factors Influencing Work Climate
Leadership practices Leadership practices Leadership practices Leadership practices Leadership practices
providing vision, living organizational values
know ing staff aspirations, skills, and interests
focusing staff attention on critical challenges
aligning w ork w ith skills and interests,
m otivating team w ork
recognizing accom plishm ents; and inspiring
confidence in staff
M anagem ent practices M anagem ent practices M anagem ent practices M anagem ent practices M anagem ent practices
w ork group com m unications, inclusion in
decision m aking w here appropriate
revisions of job descriptions
im provem ents in planning, policies, proce-
dures, w ork planning
supervision and feedback, including perfor-
m ance review s, and job recom m endations
the organizations m anagem ent system s, or
procedures and processes that affect both
tasks and the flow of inform ation, and the
w ork system s that affect efficiency and
em ployee satisfaction.
Factors All Managers Can Influence Factors beyond the Control of Most Managers
O rganizational history O rganizational history O rganizational history O rganizational history O rganizational history
organizational experience w ith success and failure
its experience w ith incentives, sanctions, and consequences
its reputation in the com m unity
O rganizational culture O rganizational culture O rganizational culture O rganizational culture O rganizational culture
values, beliefs, traditions, and assum ptions shared by em ployees,
w hether expressed or unexpressed
the w ay w e do things around here
M anagem ent strategy M anagem ent strategy M anagem ent strategy M anagem ent strategy M anagem ent strategy
approaches related to job opportunities and grow th that help an
organization m eet its goals
M anagem ent structure M anagem ent structure M anagem ent structure M anagem ent structure M anagem ent structure
defining roles and responsibilities
addressing policies regarding rew ards and prom otions
External environm ent External environm ent External environm ent External environm ent External environm ent
the broader context in w hich the organization operates. Prevail-
ing disease patterns, political and econom ic conditions, regula-
tions, processes of health sector reform , donor priorities,
com petition, and an organizations reputation in the com m unity
add pressures on staff to perform .
available w orkforce skills, salary expectations, cultural and gender
barriers, and the condition of roads and public transportation.
These m ay restrict the pool of potential em ployees, possibly
requiring a stronger focus on developing and retaining staff.
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
5
understand what motivates employees;
focus on developing a motivating work climate.
Understanding What Motivates Employees
As a manager, you need to create conditions that will en-
courage employees to perform. To find out what that
means, reflect for a moment on your own experience. Have
you ever been a member of a high-performing teamin an
organization? What motivated you and your colleagues to
performwell? Or, if you have ever been part of an unmo-
tivated teamor organization, what held you back? How
did it affect your performance and that of your colleagues?
Motivation is the energy to do something. Each per-
son has motives, needs, and reservoirs of energy that
represent potential motivators. As a manager, your task
is to discover your employees motivations and help un-
leash their energy. Then you can direct their energy
into productive work. It is also critically important for
you to understand more about your own sources of mo-
tivation. Part of the capacity to create a positive work
climate comes from learning to choose the leadership
practices and management styles you use rather than
allowing yourself to be solely directed by your natural
inclinations. To understand motivation, you need to
pay attention to both its external and internal forms.
External and Internal Motivation
EXTERN AL
M O TIVATIO N
External m otivation involves using m otivators that com e w ith a job, for exam ple,
pay, benefits, office space, and safety. A dangerous w orksite or pay at survival level
dem otivates m any em ployees. External m otivation can also include giving positive
feedback and recognition, often constructive m otivators.
Internal m otivation com es from w ithin an em ployee. It can be influenced by the
feeling that a supervisor cares about her or him as a person, and opportunities for
grow th, advancem ent, recognition, and responsibility. Think back for a m om ent to
your ow n experiences as a m em ber of a high-perform ing team . W hat w ere som e of
your internal m otivators? W ere they related to the satisfaction of innovating and
creating a new approach, solving problem s, m aking a contribution, surpassing
established standards and goals, or learning and w orking w ith a dynam ic group of
people? Everyone has m any of the sam e internal m otivators, but individuals m ay be
m ore inspired by different m otivators. D o you know w hat m otivates each m em ber
of your w ork group? O nce you get to know your staff m em bers and w hat m otivates
each of them , you can create a w ork clim ate that offers opportunities that w ill
m otivate them and encourage their perform ance.
IN TERN AL
M O TIVATIO N
How you, as a manager, exercise leadership and
management practices is very important. In fact, your
practices have the largest impact on the climate of your
work group. At least 50 percent of the differences in
work group climates can be attributed to differences in
day-to-day practices of those who manage the work
group (Buckingham and Coffman 1999). The organiza-
tional elements that you can arrange, such as the de-
sign of tasks and jobs, reward systems, policies and
procedures, and strategy can also have a large impact
(Stringer 2002).
A w ork group w ork group w ork group w ork group w ork group is a group of people w ho w ork
together on a regular basis to produce results. W ork
groups include:
em ployees in a structured reporting relationship,
such as in a departm ent or clinic;
an ad hoc team brought together to carry out
specific tasks to develop or refine a service or
product, or produce another result.
The performance of the various work groups in an
organization affects the overall performance of the or-
ganization. In order for you and other managers of
work groups to motivate personnel, you need to:
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
6
Focusing on Developing a Motivating
Work Climate
Developing a positive work climate takes concentrated
effort. If there are demotivating factors within your
control, you can look for ways to change the work cli-
mate and stimulate different kinds of motivation.
Where should you start to affect climateat the or-
ganizational level or the work group level? While every
organization has an overall climate, each work group
also has its own climate. A work groups climate may be
similar to or different from the overall organizational
climate. High-performing work groups sometimes op-
erate in organizations clouded by declining funding or
inadequate leadership at the senior level. No matter
what your organizational level, your leadership and
management practices can create a positive work cli-
mate within your work group, even if your organiza-
tions climate is less than optimal. Your efforts to
improve your work groups climate can contribute to
strong organizational results. Consider these examples
frommajor corporations.
Research Findings on the Effects of Engaged Work Groups
EM PLO YEE
M O TIVATIO N
D EPEN D S O N
W O RK G RO U P
C LIM ATE
In 1998, G allup, a polling com pany surveying opinions on political, econom ic, w ork,
and other issues, studied em ployees in 2,500 business units and 24 com panies
throughout the U S. Findings from this study show the influence of em ployee m otiva-
tion and w ork group m anagers. Engaged em ployees im proved business outcom es
(productivity, profit, retention, and custom er service). W hen asked about their w ork
environm ent (w hat is expected of m e, support to do m y w ork, recognition and praise
for m y w ork, im portance of m y w ork, having the opportunity to do w hat I do best,
etc.), em ployees responded differently depending on w hich w ork group they w orked
in, rather than w hich com pany they w orked for. In other w ords, their im m ediate w ork
group m anager w as m ore critical in building a strong w orkplace than the overall
policies and procedures of the com pany. (Buckingham and C offm an 1999)
In the m id 1980s, British Airw ays adopted a new putting people firstvision in re-
sponse to changes in the airline industry. They needed to change from a bureaucratic
state-controlled transportation com pany to a custom er-focused, m arket-driven service
organization. The strategy w as com m unicated from senior m anagem ent, but the
changes w ere prim arily im plem ented at the level of the w ork group.
Every staff m em ber participated in a tw o-day putting people firsttraining program .
Acknow ledging the im portance of w ork group m anagers, British Airw ays im plem ented
a five-day m anagersprogram that stressed the im portance of trust, vision, leadership,
and feedback. The m anagers then reinforced the putting people firstm essage am ong
the m em bers of their w ork groups. The changes introduced at the w ork group level
drove the reorientation of the com pany and led to record-setting im provem ents in the
airlines financial perform ance and a m arked change to a custom er-focused culture.
(G oodstein and Burke 1991)
W O RK G RO U P
M AN AG ERS
TRAN SFO RM
C O M PA N IES
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
7
Improving Climate in Your Work
Group through Good Leadership
and Management
You can make a difference in the climate of your work
group. Your work groups climate is the key to unleash-
ing the discretionary effort available in the work group.
In order to make beneficial changes, you can examine
and enhance your leadership and management prac-
tices, the structure of your work group, and the norms
and standards you adopt, all within the framework of
existing organizational policies and procedures.
Reflect on your work groups motivation and perfor-
mance for a moment. As the manager of a work group
you are usually aware whenever something is not
right in your group. Does your group show signs of
low motivation and performance?
Indications of Low Motivation and Performance
Staff m ay show specific signs of low m otivation or perform ance:
increasing em ployee absenteeism and tardiness
decreasing em ployee productivity
disengagem ent and inflexible w ork habits
reports of dissatisfaction am ong your clients
the failure of your w ork group to m eet specific perform ance targets
frequent or unresolved conflict am ong staff
poor com m unication am ong group m em bers and w ith you
staff resistance to new processes and ideas
Staff m ay also com plain. The follow ing are som e of the com m on com plaints that m an-
agers w orldw ide have heard:
This place is so disorganized. We dont 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 dont have support or necessary resources.
No one appreciates our work. No one says thanks.
We get plenty of criticism when things go wrong, but rarely any positive feedback.
Things are tense and unpleasant. Our boss just barks at us. Sometimes I wish I didnt
have to go to work.
SIG N S
C O M PLA IN TS
If you see signs of poor motivation and declining
performance among even a few employees, you need to
look for the reasons. If there are no visible signs, ask
your staff to be sure you have not overlooked some-
thing important. If your work group has just been
formed, take the time to think together about the kind
of climate you want to create to stimulate high motiva-
tion and performance. To influence your work groups
climate, you need to:
understand three key dimensions of climate;
assess the climate of your work group;
take action to improve your groups climate.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
8
Understanding Three Key Dimensions of
Climate
In order to influence climate, you can survey employ-
ees perceptions of three key aspects of work environ-
ment. The following dimensions of climate have a
predictable impact on motivated behavior:
clarity
support
challenge
Understanding these dimensions of work group cli-
mate can help you think about what interventions you
can use to improve climate and performance. When em-
ployees perceive these properties as present and strong
in their work group, they perceive the climate of their
group as positive.
Clarity. An environment provides clarity when the group
knows its roles and responsibilities within the big pic-
ture. Each member understands what I have to do and
why and perceives his or her role as aligned with the
purpose of the group and the organization. Group mem-
bers are aware of the needs of their clients. Standards of
performance are clearly expressed, and the consequences
of failing to achieve these standards are understood.
Support. In a climate of support, group members feel
they have the resources and backing they need to
achieve the work groups goals. Resources include es-
sential supplies, equipment, tools, staff, and budget,
without which their performance would be severely
constrained. Emotional support includes an atmosphere
of trust, mutual support, and deserved recognition, in
addition to individuals inner resources. Such an atmo-
sphere is created when group members feel their capa-
bilities are acknowledged, when they participate in
decisions that impact the work group, and when they
sense appreciation and reward for both individual and
group successes.
Challenge. A climate of challenge exists when group
members experience opportunities to stretch, take on
challenges with reasonable risks, and discover new
ways of doing things to be more effective. Group mem-
bers feel a sense of pride in belonging to their work
group and a commitment to shared goals, purposes, and
activities. They are willing to learn from mistakes and
feel prepared to adopt alternative activities when re-
quired. They actively take responsibility, develop skills
and capabilities to deliver appropriate services, and are
better equipped to take reasonable risks.
Interaction among the dimensions. All three dimensions
are critical for fostering performance. Employees faced
with challenges but lacking support or clarity can ex-
perience stress and frustration. They may feel set up to
fail. Without challenge or support, employees who are
clear about expectations may find their workday restric-
tive, deadening, or even punitive. Supported staff will
not stretch themselves or build their skills if they feel
unchallenged.
IM IM IM IM IM P PP PPR RR RRO OO OO V I V I V I V I V IN NN NN G W O G W O G W O G W O G W O R RR RRK C LI K C LI K C LI K C LI K C LIM A M A M A M A M ATE I TE I TE I TE I TE IN A D E N A D E N A D E N A D E N A D EC CC CC E EE EEN TR N TR N TR N TR N TRA LI A LI A LI A LI A LIZ ZZ ZZ E EE EED H D H D H D H D H EA L EA L EA L EA L EA LTH SY TH SY TH SY TH SY TH SYS SS SSTE TE TE TE TEM MM MM
W WW WW orking SolutionsN ic orking SolutionsN ic orking SolutionsN ic orking SolutionsN ic orking SolutionsN icaragua aragua aragua aragua aragua
The M inistry of H ealth (M O H ) in N icaragua is in
the process of strengthening decentralized health
services in regional departm ents throughout the
country. In M atagalpa, Boaco, and Jinotega in the
northern part of the country, the M SH Prosalud
Project and M & L Program , financed by U SAID ,
have assisted the M O H in strengthening the
leadership skills and com petencies of M O H
m anagers w orking at the decentralized level.
The clim ate assessm ent. The clim ate assessm ent. The clim ate assessm ent. The clim ate assessm ent. The clim ate assessm ent. O ne of the m ain
challenges that M O H m anagers described in a
tw o-day dialogue on leadership w as unm otivated
personnel. This becam e the focal point of the leader-
ship developm ent program . To better understand the
organizational clim ate in the M O H s facilities, a
clim ate survey w as conducted in m unicipalities
participating in the leadership developm ent program .
D eveloped by the Pan Am erican H ealth O rganiza-
tion, the organizational clim ate survey instrum ent
exam ined four com ponents: leadership, m otivation,
reciprocal relations betw een supervisors and em ploy-
ees, and participation. W ithin each of these areas, the
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
9
survey explored factors such as direction, encourag-
ing team w ork, encouraging excellence, conflict
resolution, recognition, adequate w ork conditions,
equity, sharing inform ation, and participation am ong
a representative sam ple of em ployees and m anagers.
The leadership developm ent program . The leadership developm ent program . The leadership developm ent program . The leadership developm ent program . The leadership developm ent program . The
subsequent leadership developm ent program helped
the M O H to build the capacity of local m unicipal
m anagers to im prove clim ate and perform ance. The
data from the clim ate survey w ere analyzed and
shared w ith all of the m unicipal m anagers and then
the m unicipal staff. Together, they developed a
perform ance im provem ent plan in each m unicipality.
Their plans targeted tw o or three areas they w ished
to im prove, such as increasing em ployee recognition,
im proving com m unication, m aking inform ation m ore
accessible to personnel, increasing participation in
the health team and in decision m aking and, in som e
cases, im proving w orking conditions.
O utcom es. O utcom es. O utcom es. O utcom es. O utcom es. At the conclusion of the leadership
developm ent program , the Prosalud Project reap-
plied the clim ate survey to determ ine w hether there
had been any change in clim ate.
O f the 12 participating m unicipalities, four show ed
im provem ent in all four com ponents (leadership,
m otivation, reciprocity, and participation), and four
show ed partial im provem ent. O f the 12 m unicipali-
ties, San Lorenzo in the D epartm ent of Boaco
show ed the greatest im provem ent. Both the results
of its follow -up survey on w ork clim ate and its
perform ance im proved. Its staff surpassed its fam ily
planning, prenatal care, and other service goals for
the num ber of people covered.
C loser investigation into leadership and m anage-
m ent practices in San Lorenzo indicated that letters
of recognition w ere given to the best em ployee for
the period, and the best team w as given a banner.
Efforts w ere m ade to procure equipm ent and
training for staff to im prove w orking conditions.
Through a special em ergency fund and help from
the m ayor, funds w ere sought to im prove the
infrastructure of the health posts.
In San Lorenzo, the team w ork, self-learning, and
com m itm ent of individuals and health units to goals
w ere strengthened. As the D irector of the m unici-
pality said, In the beginning [after the clim ate
diagnosis and w ith the start-up of the leadership
learning m odules], w e began to see how it w as a
process of leadership. W e developed team w ork, w e
clarified our goals and m ission, and once w e
determ ined the positive and negative aspects of our
w ork clim ate, w e focused on things that needed to
be im proved. W e developed a plan for im prove-
m ent; the interventions began. All m em bers of
the m unicipal team took part. W e are w orking as
team and there is really a w arm atm osphere, a lot of
friendliness.
The leadership developm ent program has been
successfully im plem ented in 17 other m unicipalities
and w ill be offered in other regions of the country.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
10
Assessing Work Group Climate
To improve your work groups climate, you will need
to understand how your employees perceive their work
environment. Their perceptions guide how they re-
spond to workplace situations. While you and your em-
ployees may differ in how you perceive the climate in
your work group, remember that climate is always char-
acterized in terms of employees perceptions. Surveying
employees perceptions offers a way for you to explore
perceptions other than your own. It is also important
for you to complete a survey. Then, you can compare
your perceptions with those of your team.
C lim ate exists objectively in an organization, but it can
only be described and m easured indirectly through the
perceptions of the m em bers of the organization.
(Stringer 2002, p. 10)
To get a better idea about what may be reducing the
productivity of your work group, you can assess its cli-
mate using one of several available surveys. The Work
Group Climate Assessment developed by MSH and used
by work groups in Latin America and Africa offers a
straightforward process that will give you insight into
the three key dimensionsclarity, support, and chal-
lengethat describe work group climate.
Using the Work Group Climate Assessment
The Work Group Climate Assessment is an instrument
for scanning work groups of three or more people and
the groups manager. It can be used with or without a
trained facilitator. The Assessment is a 14-item survey
that all members of a work group complete. Each item
focuses on a specific perception. The guidelines for us-
ing the Work Group Climate Assessment follow.
H ow to H ow to H ow to H ow to H ow to
A P A P A P A P A PP PP PPL LL LLY TH Y TH Y TH Y TH Y TH E W O E W O E W O E W O E W O R RR RRK G K G K G K G K G R RR RRO OO OO U UU UU P C P C P C P C P C LI LI LI LI LIM A M A M A M A M ATE A S TE A S TE A S TE A S TE A SS SS SSE EE EES SS SSS SS SSM MM MM E EE EEN T N T N T N T N T
Before A pplying the Survey Before A pplying the Survey Before A pplying the Survey Before A pplying the Survey Before A pplying the Survey
A sk a associate to act as survey adm inistrator A sk a associate to act as survey adm inistrator A sk a associate to act as survey adm inistrator A sk a associate to act as survey adm inistrator A sk a associate to act as survey adm inistrator. .. ..
The adm inistrator m anages the assessm ent process,
including distributing and collecting com pleted
surveys, analyzing the data, and giving feedback to
you and your staff. The adm inistrator also acts as a
resource to m em bers of the w ork group w ho have
questions about the survey or the process for com -
pleting it. The adm inistrator can be som eone w ho
w orks either w ithin or outside the organization, but
should be som eone w hom the staff trusts, so that staff
are m ore likely to respond honestly.
Encourage staff to participate. Encourage staff to participate. Encourage staff to participate. Encourage staff to participate. Encourage staff to participate. A sk the adm inistrator
to invite each m em ber of your w ork group to com -
plete the assessm ent.
Ensure the confidentiality of all participants. Ensure the confidentiality of all participants. Ensure the confidentiality of all participants. Ensure the confidentiality of all participants. Ensure the confidentiality of all participants. The
w ork group needs to have at least three m em bers to
ensure confidentiality. Five or m ore m em bers is
optim al. Encourage staff to answ er honestly. To do this,
you and the adm inistrator should stress that:
their answ ers are anonym ous;
a feedback report w ill be produced only w hen
three or m ore group m em bers com plete the
assessm ent. The feedback report w ill not identify
any individuals responses;
in no case w ill individual ratings be released to
others in your organization;
the usefulness of the assessm ent depends entirely
on the frankness and honesty of the responses.
D istribute the surveys. D istribute the surveys. D istribute the surveys. D istribute the surveys. D istribute the surveys. H and out the assessm ents and
ask that they be com pleted w ithout discussion am ong
group m em bers.
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
11
C om plete the A ssessm ent C om plete the A ssessm ent C om plete the A ssessm ent C om plete the A ssessm ent C om plete the A ssessm ent
To follow the steps below , please refer to the sam ple
assessm ent form on page 12.
Rate each item for A ctual P Rate each item for A ctual P Rate each item for A ctual P Rate each item for A ctual P Rate each item for A ctual Perform ance. erform ance. erform ance. erform ance. erform ance. Actual
Perform ance reflects the w ay that respondents feel
things currently are. In the colum n labeled A ctual
Perform ance (H ow are things now in your w ork
group?),each respondent enters a score from 0 to 4
for each item . (Please note: Q uestions 13 and 14 in
Part II. W ork G roup O utcom es only require a score
for A ctual Perform ance.)
Rate each item for Im portance. Rate each item for Im portance. Rate each item for Im portance. Rate each item for Im portance. Rate each item for Im portance. Im portance reflects
the level of significance that respondents feel w ould
apply to this item . In the colum n labeled Im portance
(H ow im portant is this in your w ork group?),each
respondent assigns a score from 0 to 4 for each item .
Subm it the survey Subm it the survey Subm it the survey Subm it the survey Subm it the survey. .. .. Respondents subm it their anony-
m ous surveys to the adm inistrator.
A nalyze the Results A nalyze the Results A nalyze the Results A nalyze the Results A nalyze the Results
The adm inistrator can analyze the data w ith pencil
and paper. A lternatively, he or she can access a
spreadsheet on the Internet that w ill sim plify the
analysis of the data and produce a feedback report.
Please refer to http://erc.msh.org/toolkit and click on
Leadership D evelopm ent.If the adm inistrator uses
the spreadsheet to score the assessm ent, then he or
she enters the data from each assessm ent into the
spreadsheet. The spreadsheet w ill calculate the score
for w ork group clim ate and provide a feedback
report.
Find an average score for each item . Find an average score for each item . Find an average score for each item . Find an average score for each item . Find an average score for each item . The adm inistra-
tor enters the scores from each assessm ent onto a tally
sheet. Enter the scores from the m anagers assessm ent
in the first row of the tally sheet. Enter the scores from
the staffs assessm ents below that of the m anager. Add
up the staffs score for each item (Q uestions 112) and
divide by the num ber of responding staff to find the
average for each item . Remember, the scores are only
estimates of behaviors that affect climate.
C om pute the gaps b C om pute the gaps b C om pute the gaps b C om pute the gaps b C om pute the gaps betw e etw e etw e etw e etw een A ctual P en A ctual P en A ctual P en A ctual P en A ctual Perform ance and erform ance and erform ance and erform ance and erform ance and
Im portance. Im portance. Im portance. Im portance. Im portance. For the first item , the adm inistrator sub-
tracts the groups average score for Actual Perform ance
from the groups average score for Im portance. This gives
the gap betw een the actual perform ance and the as-
signed im portance for the item . C om pute this gap for
each item . Then list the item s in order from the largest to
the sm allest gap. Repeat for the m anagers scores.
C om pute the score for the W C om pute the score for the W C om pute the score for the W C om pute the score for the W C om pute the score for the W ork G roup O utcom es. ork G roup O utcom es. ork G roup O utcom es. ork G roup O utcom es. ork G roup O utcom es.
The adm inistrator adds up the staffs score for Q uestion
13 and divides by the num ber of respondents to find
the average for this outcom e. Repeat for Q uestion 14. A
higher score indicates a greater perception of the level
of quality produced by the w ork group (Q uestion 13) or
its productivity (Q uestion 14).
Prepare a report. Prepare a report. Prepare a report. Prepare a report. Prepare a report. The adm inistrator prepares and
presents a report for the group. This report lists the
item s from the largest to sm allest gap for the staff
(and for the m anager if the m anager agrees).
Review the results. Review the results. Review the results. Review the results. Review the results. The m anager and w ork group
look at the gaps together and identify tw o or three
areas that need im provem ent. Please see the section
Analyzing the G apson page 13 for m ore inform ation.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
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12
The Work Group Climate Assessment Form
P PP PPA R A R A R A R A RT I. W T I. W T I. W T I. W T I. W ork G roup C lim ate ork G roup C lim ate ork G roup C lim ate ork G roup C lim ate ork G roup C lim ate
RA RA RA RA RATI TI TI TI TIN NN NN G S G S G S G S G SC A LE C A LE C A LE C A LE C A LE
0 00 00
1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
not at all to a sm all
degree
to a m oderate
degree
to a great
degree
to a very
great degree
A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E
(H ow are things now in
your w ork group?)
Please rate each item on a scale
from 0 to 4 w here:
0 = not at all
1 = to a sm all degree
2 = to a m oderate degree
3 = to a great degree
4 = to a very great degree
1. W e are recognized for indi-
vidual contributions
2. W e have a com m on purpose
3. W e have the resources w e
need to do our jobs w ell.
4. W e are developing our skills
and know ledge.
5. W e have a plan that guides
our activities.
6. W e strive to im prove our
perform ance.
7. W e understand each others
capabilities.
8. W e are clear about w hat is
expected in our w ork.
9. W e seek to understand the
needs of our clients.
10. W e participate in the decisions
of our w ork group.
11. W e take pride in our w ork.
12. W e readily adapt to new
circum stances.
I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group
IM IM IM IM IM PO PO PO PO PO R RR RRT TT TTA N A N A N A N A N C CC CC E EE EE
(H ow im portant is this in
your w ork group?)
Please rate each item on a scale
from 0 to 4 w here:
0 = not at all
1 = to a sm all degree
2 = to a m oderate degree
3 = to a great degree
4 = to a very great degree
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
W O W O W O W O W O R RR RRK G R K G R K G R K G R K G RO OO OO U UU UU P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LIM A M A M A M A M ATE TE TE TE TE
Please read each item below
and indicate your selection by
circling the appropriate
num ber in both colum ns.
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
13
W O W O W O W O W O R RR RR K G R K G R K G R K G R K G RO OO OO U UU UU P O U T P O U T P O U T P O U T P O U TC CC CC O OO OO M MM MM E EE EES SS SS
Please read each item and decide
how things actually are now.
I feel that I feel that I feel that I feel that I feel that
13. O ur w ork group is know n for quality w ork
14. O ur w ork group is productive
Analyzing the Gaps
You and your work group need to analyze the gaps in
perceptions between the actual performance and the im-
portance of each item. This gap analysis can help iden-
tify the items with the largest gaps and prioritize your
management and leadership efforts to address two or
three of these areas. It is a short cut for identifying and
addressing the most urgent climate issues in your work
group.
A gap analysis usually focuses on the items with the
largest differences between Actual Performance and Im-
portance. (For this analysis, use the gaps for the staffs
scores, not those of the manager.) Discuss together the
kinds of improvements that could make a difference in
your groups perceptions. The example on the next page
illustrates how a gap analysis works.
Next, discuss the scores for the outcomes (Questions
13 and 14). Where the perception of the level of quality
or productivity is low, examine the reasons. Your dis-
cussion may influence the areas you and your group
want to address.
As a manager, you also need to compare the gaps you
identified against those of your staff. If you find large
differences in these perceptions, you need to reflect on
what your staff is saying and be ready to make changes
in your behavior. Suggestions from your staff or the
administrator of the assessment may help in resolving
these differences.
P PP PPA R A R A R A R A RT I T I T I T I T II. W I. W I. W I. W I. W ork G roup O utcom es ork G roup O utcom es ork G roup O utcom es ork G roup O utcom es ork G roup O utcom es
This section is an assessm ent of your feelings about w hether your w ork group is know n for quality w ork
and w hether it is productive.
Being know n for quality w ork m eans that your w ork group is know n for m eeting your clientsor custom ers
needs and receives positive feedback from your clients or custom ers.
Productivity m eans that your w ork group consistently m eets w ork objectives, such as m onthly service
objectives, and is recognized by others as a group that gets the job done.
O nce you have thought about the quality of your
groups w ork and your groups productivity, answ er
the questions below.
A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E
(H ow are things now in your w ork group?)
Please rate each item on a scale from 0 to 4 w here:
0 = not at all
1 = to a sm all degree
2 = to a m oderate degree
3 = to a great degree
4 = to a very great degree
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
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14
Taking Action to Improve Your Work
Groups Climate
Once you have discussed the results of the Work Group
Climate Assessment with your staff, it is important for
you to work on improving the climate of your work
group. Think about what you can change in your lead-
ership and management practices so that employees in
your work group are clear about the purpose and di-
rection of the work that all of you are engaged in. Con-
sider what support is lacking for members of the
workgroup. Reflect on what you have done to be sure
that staff are challenged and excited about their work.
Can you improve your communication with the
group? Keeping your office door open can foster this
communication. Individual employees need your feed-
back, and your group needs up-to-date information that
relates to their work. Are you recognizing employees
good work and achievements? Nothing is more encour-
aging to an employee than a manager who recognizes
the positive contributions an individual makes. You can
acknowledge an employees efforts through formal
work reviews, remarks, or personal notes. If specific
negative feedback is later called for, the employee can
see this in a more supportive context. Have you taken
enough time to make a personal connection with people
in your workgroup to make them feel part of their or-
ganization, continually underscoring how their contri-
butions help the organization succeed?
The table on page 15 provides concrete examples of
how you and your work group can improve your work
group climate. Each item reflects one of the three cli-
mate dimensions. Review the recommended leadership
and management practices associated with each item
and determine how you and your group could use
these practices to reduce the size of the gap between
Actual Performance and Importance. Implementing the
suggested practices may not be easy, but it will improve
the climate of your work group, bolster employee mo-
tivation, and strengthen work group performance. The
following practices are arranged by the itemthey address.
Sam ple G ap A nalysis Sam ple G ap A nalysis Sam ple G ap A nalysis Sam ple G ap A nalysis Sam ple G ap A nalysis
W O W O W O W O W O R RR RRK G R K G R K G R K G R K G RO OO OO U UU UU P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LIM A M A M A M A M ATE TE TE TE TE
The tw o item s below show gaps in
the scores betw een the colum ns.
These item s are exam ples and do
not appear in the assessm ent.
I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group I feel that in m y w ork group
1. W e have a positive attitude*
2.W e enjoy our w ork*
In the first of the follow ing item s W e have a positive attitude,the gap betw een Actual Perform ance and
Im portance is 1, w hereas in the second item W e enjoy our w ork,the gap is 2. Since the second item has the
largest gap, you w ould list the second item above the first item and give it a higher priority in deciding on the
issues you should address.
A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E A C TU A L PERFO RM A N C E
(H ow are things now in
your w ork group?)
Please rate each item on a scale
from 0 to 4 w here:
0 = not at all
1 = to a sm all degree
2 = to a m oderate degree
3 = to a great degree
4 = to a very great degree
IM IM IM IM IM PO PO PO PO PO R RR RRT TT TTA N A N A N A N A N C CC CC E EE EE
(H ow im portant is this in
your w ork group?)
Please rate each item on a scale
from 0 to 4 w here:
0 = not at all
1 = to a sm all degree
2 = to a m oderate degree
3 = to a great degree
4 = to a very great degree
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44 0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44 0 00 00 1 11 11 2 22 22 3 33 33 4 44 44
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
15
W ith your w ork group, identify the key w ork challenges and develop (or revise) the
group m ission, key goals, and strategy.
C om m unicate the m ission, key goals, strategy, and critical challenges to all m em bers
of the group.
Agree on a group perform ance plan and group standards and review these regularly.
Review anticipated group results, including expected outcom es, and verify that they
are clearly understood.
M eet frequently as a group to review progress.
M eet w ith group m em bers individually to clarify individual expectations, set individual
perform ance indicators, m ake individual w orkplans, and review individual perform ance,
all in the context of the groups plans and standards.
U pdate job descriptions and m ake them available to group m em bers.
Leadership and Management Practices for Improving Work Climate
C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate
D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension
A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent
Item Item Item Item Item
Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices
C larity C larity C larity C larity C larity W e feel w e have
a com m on
purpose. (2)
Invite and facilitate participation in the decision-m aking process.
W ith your group, set clear priorities to m eet client needs, and trace the alignm ent of
these goals all the w ay from the effect on the client back to the groups specific output.
Share responsibility for solving problem s w ith other m em bers of the w ork group.
Expect them to resolve difficulties, but be available to assist if required.
C om m unicate clearly the results expected of group m em bers and how they affect the
com m on purpose.
D efend the decisions of the w ork group if challenged by others outside the group.
A dm it your m istakes and uncertainties, and be w illing to learn from others.
M ake m eeting the com m on goals the focus of your w ork groups activities, and
assess the progress m ade to determ ine future activities.
W e have a plan
that guides our
activities. (5)
D evelop a w orkplan that clearly defines the goals of the group and w ork to be done
to reach those goals.
Set up a system to track the groups processes, tim etables, and outcom es.
D iscuss how individual plans of group m em bers align w ith group (and organizational) plans.
Im plem ent the w orkplan, and schedule regular m eetings to discuss progress tow ards goals.
W e are clear w hat
is expected in our
w ork. (8)
H ave conversations w ith clients that focus on identifying their concerns.
Build your staffs skills to assess clientsneeds by involving them in:
scanning the organization and external environm ent to understand patterns and trends;
efficiently gathering inform ation by using varied sources (interview s, docum ents,
observation, com puters, etc.);
analyzing routinely collected statistics to understand client needs;
facilitating focus groups w ith clients to discuss their needs.
U sing the techniques listed above, reflect on client needs and expectations, and adjust
practice w ithin the guidelines of the updated group m ission, key goals, and strategy.
C larity C larity C larity C larity C larity W e seek to
understand the
needs of our
clients. (9)
C larity C larity C larity C larity C larity
C larity C larity C larity C larity C larity
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
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C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate
D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension
A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent
Item Item Item Item Item
Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices
Support Support Support Support Support W e are recognized
for individual
contributions. (1)
Regularly acknow ledge the contributions and new skills of staff, both publicly and
privately and in w ays that are appropriate in your organization. A sim ple, sincere
thank you is often the best form of recognition.
Ask group m em bers w ho have specific talents and know ledge for advice, and
encourage them to take the lead on specific assignm ents.
D elegate tasks in peoples areas of interest and strength, as w ell as in the areas they
w ant to develop.
Support Support Support Support Support W e have the
resources w e need
to do our jobs
w ell. (3)
Fam iliarize yourself often w ith the activities of the w ork group, and determ ine w hat
resources are needed to carry out these activities.
M onitor w hether the existing resources are adequate for the task at hand.
M eet w ith m em bers of the w ork group to find w ays to better align existing
resources or, alternatively, to seek additional resources.
Support Support Support Support Support W e understand
each others
capabilities. (7)
Take tim e to know each m em ber of your w ork group. Learn w hat m otivates him or
her on the job.
Learn about the skills, values, and interests of each m em ber of your group.
C reate opportunities for group m em bers to inform you and each other of their
skills, values, and interests.
O bserve how the group functions under pressure. Build on m em bersadaptive
capacity and help them cope even m ore effectively.
O rganize inform al events outside of w ork during w hich m em bers of the group can
establish rapport and talk about personal interests and skills.
Support Support Support Support Support G ather and build on the ideas of others. H old form al and inform al sessions in w hich
group m em bers can offer ideas and suggestions.
M eet as a group to consider ideas and determ ine the practicality of each suggestion.
M eet regularly to discuss how the group is w orking together and solicit ideas about
how to im prove cooperation.
Agree on criteria for choosing w hich suggestion to proceed w ith.
C onsider all ideas advanced, even those w ith w hich you disagree.
W e participate
in the decisions
of our w ork
group. (10)
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
17
C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate C lim ate
D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension D im ension
A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent A ssessm ent
Item Item Item Item Item
Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices Leadership and M anagem ent Practices
C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge W e are devel-
oping our skills
and know ledge.
(4)
Encourage group m em bers to take on new challenges and create opportunities for
them to learn skills and broaden their know ledge.
Ask each group m em ber to draw up a self-developm ent plan and share it w ith you.
D evelop a plan for yourself.
Support group m em bers in their efforts to learn new skills.
Provide incentives, such as tim e aw ay from w ork, for group m em bers to acquire m ore
know ledge.
Arrange tim es for guest speakers from other departm ents and organizations to help
people think in new w ays.
A rrange site visits to learn how other organizations or groups operate.
C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge W ith the w ork group, set perform ance goals.
Assess current perform ance against group goals and identify opportunities for
im provem ent.
G ive w ork group m em bers specific responsibility for leading a perform ance im prove-
m ent activity.
W ith the group, continually com pare current activities w ith stated plans for im provem ent.
D elegate responsibilities for addressing new challenges so that staff stretch their
capabilities and develop new ones.
Personally m odel expected behaviors in your daily activities.
W e strive to
im prove our
perform ance.
(6)
C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge W e take pride
in our w ork.
(11)
Set high standards for the group, and recognize w hen they are m et.
Let others in the organization know about your groups accom plishm ents.
D iscuss frequently the im portance of your groups w ork and the im pact it has on the
lives of your clients.
W e readily
adapt to new
circum stances.
(12)
C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge C hallenge Scan your environm ent, identify needed changes in practices, and develop justifica-
tions for them . A lso show that you can be influenced by good data and argum ents.
Listen to and understand the reasons for resistance am ong group m em bers tow ard
changes.
Regularly rem ind people to focus on the vision of the future and use it as a point of
reference, so that all group m em bers can see the reasons for changes.
W hile being clear about purpose and values, dem onstrate flexibility about plans and
tactics.
W ith other m em bers of the w ork group, develop plans for dealing w ith changes.
M odel your preparedness to accept changes and dem onstrate new , appropriate
behavior.
C reate cerem onies and rituals that allow people to form ally leave things behind.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
18
W WW WW orking SolutionsW orking SolutionsW orking SolutionsW orking SolutionsW orking SolutionsW orldw ide orldw ide orldw ide orldw ide orldw ide
Meeting the Challenge of Creating a
Favorable Work Climate
As a manager who leads a work group, your task in-
cludes creating and sustaining a desirable work climate
that will motivate your staff. Even as you continually
scan the external environment for information about
clients needs, competitors, challenges, and opportuni-
ties, you must also scan your internal organizational en-
vironment for practices that can motivate or demotivate
your staff.
The findings of your climate assessment can help
you strengthen your leadership and management prac-
tices to provide your staff with clarity, support, and
challenge. Together, you and the other members of your
group will create a climate that inspires every member
to perform at the highest possible level.
The following working solution, illistrates the use of
the Work Group Climate Assessment to assess leader-
ship development programs.
The W ork G roup C lim ate Assessm ent has been
applied w ith encouraging results to leadership
developm ent program s in several countries,
including Brazil and Egypt.
Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil
Leadership developm ent has been a priority for
SESA, the State Secretariat of H ealth for C ear, a
large state on Brazils northeast coast. SESA has
w orked closely w ith the C ear State School of
Public H ealth to build leadership developm ent
program s for first-line and m id-level m anagers.
Since the beginning of these efforts, m ore than 450
m anagers in C ear have participated in leadership
developm ent program s. G iven that public health in
C ear has undergone a revolution, brought on by
the recent decentralization of the health system , the
focus on leadership developm ent has been tim ely.
Initially leadership developm ent in C ear occurred
in a traditional face-to-face training program . As
dem and increased for the leadership developm ent
U S U S U S U S U SI II IIN NN NN G TH G TH G TH G TH G TH E W O E W O E W O E W O E W O R RR RRK G R K G R K G R K G R K G RO OO OO U UU UU P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LI P C LIM A M A M A M A M ATE A S TE A S TE A S TE A S TE A SS SS SSE EE EES SS SSS SS SSM MM MM E EE EEN T T N T T N T T N T T N T TO A S O A S O A S O A S O A SS SS SSE EE EES SS SSS LEA D S LEA D S LEA D S LEA D S LEA D E EE EER RR RRS SS SSH HH HH I II IIP PP PP
D EV E D EV E D EV E D EV E D EV EL LL LLO OO OO P PP PPM MM MM E EE EEN T PR N T PR N T PR N T PR N T PRO OO OO G GG GG R RR RRA M A M A M A M A M S SS SS
program as w ell as for ongoing opportunities for
learning and self-developm ent, SESA and the
School of Public H ealth looked for alternative
m ethods of training. Lidernet, a com m unity of
practice draw ing on face-to-face and distance
learning m ethods, w as developed to provide on-
going education in leadership developm ent and
offer opportunities for exchanging experience.
As one w ay to evaluate these program s, several
groups com pleted M SH s W ork G roup C lim ate
Assessm ent. A group in C ear w ith substantial
exposure to leadership developm ent w as com pared
to groups from another state w ho w ere just begin-
ning the leadership developm ent process. The
C ear groups scores for actual perform ance w ere
higher than the scores of the other groups. Accord-
ing to a leadership developm ent consultant based in
C ear, the C ear team s show indicators of clim ate
that are m uch higher, w hich can in part be attributed
to the efforts of the PD L (Leadership D evelopm ent
Program ).
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
19
Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt
In the Asw an governorate of U pper Egypt, an
intensive D eveloping M anagers W ho Lead
program w as conducted over the past year. This
program brought together team s of doctors,
nurses, and m anagers from M inistry of H ealth
facilities in the region. Representatives of the
M inistry and local consultants co-facilitated the
program w ith M SH support. The W ork G roup
C lim ate Assessm ent w as applied at the program s
start to obtain baseline data and at its end to assess
the im pact of the program .
The participating team s w ere engaged in identifying
specific perform ance challenges and m aking plans
to overcom e them . They used leading and m anag-
ing practices to close the gap betw een their actual
perform ance and their desired results. All of the
team s reported im provem ents in their perform ance
indicators and a vast im provem ent in the clim ate of
their w ork groups. They said their w ork groups
w ere m ore focused and their facilities m ore effective
as a result of their participation in the program .
The W ork G roup C lim ate Assessm ent results
supported their reports. It indicated that w ork
clim ate am ong w ork groups w as substantially m ore
positive at the end of the program than at the
beginning. W hile the baseline scores for clim ate
varied from .8 to 2.1 (on a scale of 0 to 4), the
scores after the program ranged from 3.1 to 3.8.
The tw o outcom e m easures also rose. The score for
O ur w ork group m eets quality standardsin-
creased from 1.4 to 3.3, and the score for O ur
w ork group is productiveclim bed from 1.7 to 3.7.
The participantsm otivation and involvem ent in
producing results have been evident in all of their
interactions. They now have the m otivation to take
on com plex challenges and organize them selves to
address them . Em erging client data suggests that
clients are benefiting from the changes in staff
attitudes and behaviors.
Experience in Brazil and Egypt suggests that
leadership and clim ate are intim ately linked. As
m anagers develop their leadership skills, they
im prove the clim ate of their w ork groups. The m ore
positive w ork clim ates, in turn, help to im prove the
perform ance of these w ork groups.
MA N A G E R
Vol. 11, No. 3, 2002
THE
20
A forum for
discussing
concepts and
techniques
presented in
this issue
Review ers Review ers Review ers Review ers Review ers
C orner C orner C orner C orner C orner O n developing a sane w ork clim ate O n developing a sane w ork clim ate O n developing a sane w ork clim ate O n developing a sane w ork clim ate O n developing a sane w ork clim ate
One reviewer emphasizes, This issue is particularly im portant since m anagers find
them selves in a situation w here they have to face changes on a daily basisprim arily in
the form of policy shifts and technological advances. O ften w e use a crisis m anage-
m entm ode in the attem pt to address everything at the sam e tim e. The need for som e
sense of sanityand an environm ent that is adaptive to these changes adds to a better
w ork clim ate. The responsibility of every m anager should be to steer the ship w ith a
steady hand. C onfusion is alw ays detrim ental to an enabling w ork environm ent.
O n interacting w ith staff O n interacting w ith staff O n interacting w ith staff O n interacting w ith staff O n interacting w ith staff
Another reviewer sums up, So m uch of this issue reduces ultim ately to the w ay leaders
and m anagers behave in relationship w ith their staff and to how they engage in w hat I
tend to call the leadership dialogue.
O n caring about em ployees O n caring about em ployees O n caring about em ployees O n caring about em ployees O n caring about em ployees
A reviewer noted that, M otivation influences retention (the opposite of turnover) as
w ell as perform ance, especially in developing countries. A m anager w ho cares about
em ployees as people, and show s it, applies a critical job retention factor.
O n feedback from w ork clim ate to leadership practices O n feedback from w ork clim ate to leadership practices O n feedback from w ork clim ate to leadership practices O n feedback from w ork clim ate to leadership practices O n feedback from w ork clim ate to leadership practices
One reviewer elaborated on the diagram on page 4, There are feedback loops
going from good w ork clim ates back to positively influence leadership practices. Also,
there is negative feedback w hen things get out of balance. A dem oralized em ployee
can poison the w ell and unsettle an otherw ise good w ork clim ate, w hich m ay then
dem oralize the em ployees m anager (or not), and this calls for som e sort of corrective
action.
O n finding a balance betw een m anagem ent and staff O n finding a balance betw een m anagem ent and staff O n finding a balance betw een m anagem ent and staff O n finding a balance betw een m anagem ent and staff O n finding a balance betw een m anagem ent and staff
A reviewer warns, Be careful in changing things w hen em ployee perceptions do not
have substance. . . . The subjectivity of em ployeesperceptions becom e objective w hen
they are generalized across respondents. There w ill alw ays be som e w ho com plain,
w e dont have enough resources.If people do not have support and the resources that
they need and the organization does not recognize the need to give these, the question
is W hat are people doing to save this situation?W e need to seek an equilibrium
betw een m anagem ent and staff. Both are responsible; both m ust act proactively.
O n m onitoring w ork clim ate O n m onitoring w ork clim ate O n m onitoring w ork clim ate O n m onitoring w ork clim ate O n m onitoring w ork clim ate
A reviewer suggests one way to monitor climate, W e had a subgroup in m y project
called barom eter buddiesthat helped to take the pulse of staff during a difficult project
reorganization. That is one w ay to ensure that changes com e from w ithin the w ork
group and not the top dow n.
Creating a Work Climate That Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
21
References References References References References
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G olem an, D aniel. Leadership That G ets Results.Harvard Business Review (M archApril 2000).
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Checklist for Creating a Work Climate That
Motivates Staff and Improves Performance
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Recognize the im portance of your role as a w ork group m anager as som eone w ho can influ-
ence your groups w ork clim ate and, consequently, m otivate staff to perform w ell, regardless of
your organizations clim ate.
Focus on the w ays in w hich m em bers of your w ork group perceive their w ork environm ent.
Reflect on outw ard signs, such as absenteeism , declining productivity, client com plaints, and
em ployeesexpressions that m ight reveal a less than optim al w ork clim ate.
C oncentrate on factors related to the w ork clim ate that you can influence: the dim ensions of
clarity, support, and challenge in w ork.
Assess these dim ensions in your w ork groups clim ate, using a tool such as the W ork G roup
C lim ate Assessm ent.
W ith your w ork group, take action to im prove the groups clim ate by increasing:
the clarity w ith w hich your staff m em bers perceive their roles;
the support that they experience in doing their w ork;
the challenges that they are encouraged to undertake.