Creating organizational climate survey questions

Developing organizational climate survey questions is a specialized task, which should be conducted by experienced professionals in the field of Human Resources.

It is good to understand that the organizational climate is a perception that employees have of how a company provides adequate conditions for them to do their job the best way, which strongly affects their performance and motivation.

Normally, when you want to assess the organizational climate, the first step is to do a climate survey, which will require the proper preparation of organizational climate survey questions.

This task is complex and important, so there are three distinct approaches for making a climate survey. Therefore, before presenting examples of organizational climate survey questions, we will present a summary of these three methods.

Models for the Preparation of Organizational Climate Survey questions

The models used are divided by different authors:

The model by Litwin and Stringer: Analysis of 9 factors

• Structure: the perceptions of the influences on the job from the physical and organizational structure of the company.
• Responsibility: the degree of autonomy in decision making.
• Challenges: the limits and risks when performing tasks and responsibilities.
• Reward: the recognition or rewards for achieving goals and the criteria for promotion.
• Relationships: the general feeling of good camaraderie prevailing in the organization
• Cooperation: the perception of teamwork and the spirit of cooperation.
• Conflicts: how are conflict and the diversity of opinions managed?
• Identity: the sense of belonging to a group represented by the organization.
• Standards: the flexibility of rules and bureaucracy in the company.

The Kolb model:

It uses the Responsibility, Standards and Reward factors and adds 4 more:

• Conformity: the acceptance of external influences that direct your work.
• Organizational Clarity: the business objectives are logical and clear to employees.
• Warmth and support: the confidence and sense of support from colleagues.
• Leadership: the disposition of employees to follow the instructions of the company's leaders.

The Sbragia model:

Uses the factors Conformity, Structure, Reward, Cooperation, Standards, Conflicts, and Identity and adds 13 more:

• State of tension: rationality vs. emotion
• Focus on participation: the involvement of employees in decision making.
• Supervisory proximity: how to control and provide freedom.
• Human Consideration: how employees are considered by the company.
• Autonomy present: facilitating decision-making.
• Prestige obtained: the pride in belonging to the company.
• Existing tolerance: treatment when employees make mistakes or fail tasks.
• Perceived Clarity: the feedback on employee activities.
• Predominant Justice: criteria for making decisions about people.
• Progress conditions: growth opportunities for career advancement.
• Logistical support: conditions offered by the company to perform the work.
• Recognition provided: How is the superior performance by employees treated.
• Form of control: methods used to control, punish or reward performance.

Forms of control and performance monitoring can affect the organizational climate. BPM systems provide control and monitor performance in a transparent manner with allotted criteria.

Now that you know different methods that can assist in the preparation of organizational climate survey questions, check out some examples.

25 Organizational Climate Survey Questions

Depending on the model chosen, different organizational climate survey questions can be asked. We have separated a list of 25 of them so you can have a clearer view of how they are produced:

1. Do you always receive the information that is needed to do your job?
2. Do you believe that you will have career growth opportunities in this company?
3. Are you encouraged to contribute to the improvement of work processes?
4. Are you always learning new things in your job?
5. Does clarification and guidance from your superiors regarding your tasks help to carry out your work?
6. Do your superiors help you to figure out how to learn and train?
7. Does the company provide training opportunities for everyone?
8. Do you have a career outlook that motivates you to work for this company?
9. Does the organization's environment facilitate the relationship between employees?
10. Are your colleagues always willing to help each another?
11. Do you trust your co-workers?
12. Do the employees of this company have a good relationship with each other?
13. Do other employees come promptly when you need their help?
14. In general, do your colleagues share knowledge?
15. Are all employees involved in decision making?
16. Do you believe that the time you use in your work day is sufficient to fulfill your duties and obligations?
17. Do you wish you had more senior responsibilities?
18. Are you happy in your work?
19. Do you consider that your work is important for the company to reach its goals?
20. Do you feel that working in this company contributes to improving your life?
21. Do you believe that your work in the company provides you and your family with security?
22. Are you proud of this company? Do you have friends and relatives working here?
23. When you have finished your day and go home, do you feel fulfilled professionally?
24. Do you know the objectives of this company?
25. Do you believe that the products and services offered to the market by this company are important to society?

These are just some examples of organizational climate survey questions. Ideally, these surveys are developed, applied and interpreted by experienced professionals in the Human Resources department or by specialized consultants.