Organizational climate, competing values and employee well-being

Abstract

The concept of organizational climate may facilitate an understanding of relationships between work environment and employee well-being. In the paper, we present a research project focusing on organizational climates at academic workplaces and their relationship with employee well-being. We implemented the Competing Values model as the theoretical framework and a mixed-methods research design including large-scale questionnaire study and in-depth interviews. Based on k-means cluster analysis of the questionnaire data, we identified four types of organizational climate (“self-actualizing”, “collegial”, “performance”, “fraternity”) localized in the dimensions of the Competing Values model (flexibility-control, internal-external focus). We found significant differences between the ways in which members of these types perceived their work environment and well-being. Based on the interviews we discuss some psychosocial processes taking place between different organizational climates and employee well-being