Workplace climate: definition
A company’s workplace climate represents employees’ perception of the overall working conditions within the company. At a macro level, it serves as an indicator of employee satisfaction at a given point in time, which allows the assessment of the company’s social health. This satisfaction is influenced by many factors, which may be internal or external to the company.
Measuring workplace climate enables the collection of employee feedback, the understanding and analysis of their satisfaction and perception on various subjects related to their professional life within the company, such as working conditions, motivation, compensation, management, communication…
Measuring workplace climate notably helps prevent psychosocial risks, identify dysfunctions or existing tensions within the company. More positively, it enables the improvement of working conditions for employees, capitalising on the company’s strengths and advancing the organisation as a whole.
In summary, measuring workplace climate is a data point that can serve as a compass and, where necessary, allow the company to review its strategy. So, how can workplace climate be measured and optimised?
Measuring workplace climate: importance and impact on performance
Workplace climate has a direct impact on the economic performance and employer brand attractiveness of the organisation:
- Economic performance: satisfied employees are more productive, more motivated and therefore naturally demonstrate greater commitment, rigour and efficiency in carrying out their tasks. Satisfied employees are also more engaged and consequently less absent.
- Attractiveness / employer brand: a company with a positive workplace climate is more attractive to candidates. At a time when employee reviews are closely scrutinised by candidates on platforms such as Glassdoor or HappyatWork, nurturing your workplace climate is essential. Furthermore, if employees are engaged, this will also have a positive impact on talent retention and loyalty, thereby reducing turnover, which is costly for companies.
The factors influencing workplace climate are numerous; so how can it be measured?
Methods for measuring and analysing workplace climate
Assessment tools and key workplace climate indicators
To measure and analyse workplace climate, there are objective, measurable indicators and more subjective indicators that can emerge from qualitative studies.
Among the factual indicators, the following are commonly used:
- The absenteeism rate;
- The turnover rate and average employee tenure;
- The eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score), which measures the likelihood that employees would recommend their company as a great place to work.
- The number of workplace accidents, sick leave, late arrivals;
- Strike days;
- Individual or collective disputes and labour court proceedings (prud’homaux);
- Employee career development: promotions, pay rises;
- Transfer or department change requests;
These objective, quantified indicators must be monitored by HR to detect any change in workplace climate. If monitoring is regular, they enable rapid action in the event of declining indicators.
In addition to monitoring these HR indicators, it is possible to implement surveys, or “opinion barometers”, aimed at employees to take the pulse regularly. To enable analysis of results, the questions should not differ from one survey to the next, or only marginally if necessary, depending on the context.
Finally, in a more qualitative than quantitative approach, HR can also conduct individual or group interviews to “feel the ground”, refine perceptions or validate analyses drawn from quantitative indicators.
Interpreting results and identifying improvements
To track the evolution of workplace climate, particularly when working on its improvement, it is important to repeat surveys regularly. Some software solutions now allow you to take the pulse of your employees every week, or sometimes once a month, depending on the company’s needs.
First and foremost, it is HR’s responsibility to interpret results and identify areas for improvement. They will be tasked with proposing concrete actions to improve workplace climate. What action plan should be used to optimise workplace climate?
Strategies and action plan to optimise workplace climate
To improve workplace climate, several parameters can be adjusted:
- Re-establish a climate of trust through better communication within the company between employees and with management. Managers play a key role in workplace climate since they are in direct contact with employees and are responsible for answering their questions and setting objectives. They must encourage upward communication so that employees feel more valued and heard.
- Improve employee working conditions: reducing workload if it proves too heavy, better distribution of tasks among employees, recruiting new staff, modifying working hours or improving premises to make them more welcoming;
- Implement a new compensation policy: more attractive salaries or bonuses to motivate employees to commit and give their best;
- Recognise employee contributions: offer regular feedback to allow each employee to feel valued and recognised in their work, conduct regular individual reviews;
- Offer an Individual Social Report (BSI – Bilan Social Individuel): a genuine HR development tool, it is addressed to each employee and lists the main components of their compensation and other benefits they receive (salary, social benefits, meal vouchers, leave, training, health insurance, etc.). The BSI helps highlight all compensation schemes, some of which are often overlooked by employees: social packages, training, deferred compensation. The BSI is an excellent tool for showcasing HR investments. It is also an effective communication tool for retaining and attracting employees and for negotiating with them, as it highlights the company’s salary policy. Thus, employees gain a better understanding of aspects related to their compensation and other benefits available to them.
- Work on career development prospects within the company to motivate employees to achieve their objectives, offer them training opportunities;
- Strengthen workplace relationships by organising team-building events to boost cohesion and a sense of belonging.
Other avenues can also be explored to improve workplace climate, by addressing broader issues beyond those directly related to work. A recent article in Le Monde highlights the commitment of some employers against domestic violence in the private sphere, insofar as it interferes with professional life, even forcing victims to leave their jobs.
Furthermore, 55% of employees surveyed in a 2021 study conducted by the domestic violence observatory stated that such violence had affected their work, particularly through tardiness, absenteeism or decreased productivity. Thus, employers who incorporate collective agreements with operational measures (geographic transfer, payment of salary into a different bank account, etc.) contribute positively through these actions to the company’s workplace climate.
To improve a company’s workplace climate, the available levers are therefore numerous and, in most cases, inexpensive. However, it requires investment, particularly from human resources who must be at the origin of these actions. It is HR who above all carry the company’s culture and must embody it.
Action plan to improve workplace climate
To improve workplace climate, it is all about communication, authenticity and goodwill. A typical action plan could be as follows:
- Bring stakeholders together in a cooperative and participatory spirit to collectively reflect on improvement levers, based on analyses drawn from objective indicators and opinion surveys.
- Define the themes to be addressed (turnover, absenteeism, etc.) and break them down into more specific topics such as work organisation, communication with management, etc.
- Organise working groups over a short period on the identified sub-themes in order to maintain the engagement and attention of all stakeholders.
- Present the findings of the working groups.
- Propose concrete, costed solutions for the short, medium and long term with an action plan. To carry it out, an external HR consultant can be engaged.
- Communicate the results of the consultation and the selected proposals.
- Deploy the agreed action plan and evaluate its effects by monitoring indicators.
In conclusion, improving workplace climate starts with establishing and monitoring HR indicators (absenteeism rate, turnover, etc.), conducting a social barometer or survey, and paying particular attention to social dialogue, internal communication and quality of working life as a whole (environment, management, schedules, contracts, etc.).
The HR Director and senior management are on the front line and must maintain the right balance between economic considerations and employee well-being. To assist them, they can engage external HR consultants to conduct an audit and then implement new practices to improve workplace climate within the company.
