Assessing Organizational Climate: Psychometric properties of the ECALS Scale
Abstract
Background. Organizational climate is a fundamental construct in work and organizational settings, as it provides an appropriate context for studying organizational behavior, allowing the exploration of individual and group behaviors. The aim of this study was to develop a new scale called the Organizational Climate Scale of the Subjective Work Environment (Escala de Clima Organizacional del Ambiente Laboral Subjetivo; ECALS) in a Chilean context. Method. The sample consisted of 1,442 workers with a mean age of 30.48 years old (SD: 11.13). A total of 55% were public employers, 34.5% were employers of for-profit organizations and, 10.5% worked for non-profit organizations. Various exploratory factor analyses were carried out and the best exploratory model was checked in confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, it was analyzed whether there were differences in the dimensions of the ECALS among workers belonging to the different organizations. Results. The scale was made up of 38 items with adequate psychometric properties and a bifactorial structure, with a general factor (organizational climate) and five specific dimensions (Work confidence, Work stress, Social support, Compensation and Job satisfaction). Conclusions. These results indicate that the new scale has adequate psychometric properties, allowing reliable, valid assessment of organizational climates in the Chilean context.
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