Climate is to do with the patterns of behaviour that characterise life in the organisation – what people experience day-to-day.
Research shows that improving climate has a stronger effect on performance than technology, and plays a key role in determining the likelihood of innovation, creativity, or change taking place in a particular situation.
Why consider climate?
- Climate is a key capability for innovation and growth. Research and practical experience show that those businesses that perform better on numerous innovation and growth metrics deliberately manage their working climates.
- Climate is a key factor in helping organisations manage change. The evidence is clear – the organisations and teams with healthier climates can handle more complex work designs, have more productive teams, and higher levels of flexibility. As a result, they also improved their bottom-line results, have shorter times to market, and higher levels of profitability.
- Climate is a key factor promoting improved business performance. Businesses that have leaders and managers who deliberately focus on creating a climate that engages its workforce have higher rates of profitability (increased revenue, stock price, and net income), productivity, and customer loyalty.
- Climate is key to well-being in the workplace. Healthier working climates have been linked to increased levels of job satisfaction, lower rates of employee turnover, decreased stress in the workplace, and increased feelings and attitudes of contentment and enthusiasm.
So if you want to increase the likelihood that innovation, creativity and change takes place, you’ll need to understand the climate to know how to change it.
The Situational Outlook Questionnaire® (SOQ) provides a snapshot of your organisation’s climate for change. Read more here about the SOQ and its 9 dimensions.
We use the SOQ to help people develop a better understanding of their current work climate and therefore how likely it is that innovation, creativity or problem solving happen. Once you know this, then you know where and how to improve it.
Tried and tested, with over 50 years of research the SOQ will look at your organisation’s ability to:
successfully develop and commercialise original products and services
fast-track delivery of these products to the marketplace
create high performing teams and divisions
better implement new systems
use resources more efficiently
identify leadership behaviours that promote change
Create a flourishing climate in your team.
If you would like to talk more about how SOQ can help your business or team: