Influence of Organizational Climate on Prosocial Organizational Behavior.

AuthorLuthufi, M.

Introduction

Healthcare sector is one of the most resource intensive and knowledge-based sectors (Bartram & Dowling, 2013). The quality of healthcare delivery often depends on a healthy work environment where employees feel respected, recognized, identified and get opportunities for developing their potentials that are aligned with organizational success. Due to the clinician centric model of health care system (McBride & Mustchin, 2013; Khatri, Wells, McKune & Brewer, 2006), people related issues are paid lower attention as compared to the financial and structural transformation issues (Buchan, 2004; Khatri et al., 2006). For instance, almost for last two decades, reforms in healthcare systems have been focused mainly on cost containment, structural change and introduction of market mechanisms. Consequently, healthcare organizations undergone challenges with respect to organizational and managerial issues for instance, commitment issues, lack of job satisfaction and poor quality service (Leggat, Bartram & Stanton, 2011). Allied to this, prosocial organizational behavior i.e., employee's willingness to take extra effort for the benefit or welfare of others became a major concern.

Empirical researches suggest that attention on human resource management (HRM) and HR practices can positively impact employee attitudes and behaviors (Lee, Lee & Kang, 2012; Hyde, Harris & Boaden, 2013; Shantz, Alfes & Arevshatian, 2016). However, rather than relying on individual HR activities like compensation, performance appraisal, training and development etc, we posit that larger emphasis has to be given to shared perception of employees about the working environment, i.e., organizational climate. It is important for enhancing prosocial organizational behavior of employees particularly in the healthcare context. Although, extant literatures demonstrate the relationship between organizational climate and different work outcomes (for instance, Parker, Baltes, Young, Huff, Altmann, Lacost & Roberts, 2003; Benzer & Horner, 2015), limited studies have addressed the relationship between employee's perception about organizational climate and prosocial organizational behavior. By using the theoretical premise of social exchange theory, this study aims to understand the relationship between organizational climate and prosocial organizational behavior (PSOB) among nurses working in non-profit hospitals in India.

Organizational Climate

Organizational climate (OC) is defined as the shared perception of employees about the working environment. It is the meaning and reflection that employees attach to the procedures, policies, events and practices that they experience at the workplace (Schneider, Ehrhart & Macey, 2013). OC is often discussed as attitudes, feelings, norms and values that employees have about the organization and work environment. OC is a set of measurable properties of work environment that is either implicitly or explicitly perceived by the employees that influences their attitudes and behaviors (Litwin & Stringer, 1968). In other words, it is the shared perceptions about the "the way things are around here" (Reichers & Schneider, 1990: 22). OC is considered as a construct that has significant implications on employee behavior and performance. It determines the individual's as well as group's behaviors in the organization (Garcia-Garcia, Ramos, Serrano, Cobos & Souza, 2011). It is the organizational attribution perceived by members of the organization (Castro & Martins, 2010) regarding the kind of attitudes and behaviors that are recognized, supported and finally rewarded.

Employees make sense of work environment through the socialization and interaction process among members of the organization (Moran & Volkwein, 1992). The difference in the shared perceptions among employees about the work environment of the organization could result producing different perspectives on organizational climate. Studies have demonstrated that OC plays a crucial role in influencing individual as well as organizational outcomes (Kopelman, Brief & Guzzo, 1990). Employee perception about organizational climate is associated with various outcomes at various levels such as individual, team and organization (Patterson, West, Shackleton, Dawson, Lawthom & Maitlis, 2005). It includes turnover (Ryan, Schmit & Johnson, 1996), job satisfaction (Ahmad, Jasimuddin & Kee, 2018), employee satisfaction (Molina et al., 2014) and perceptions of customer regarding service quality (Schneider et al., 1998). OC has critical role to play in which employees of the organization behave or are influenced to exhibit prosocial organizational behavior.

Prosocial Organizational Behavior (PSOB)

Behaviors at workplace generally are of two types. First is the job -related behaviors which are described in the job description. Second type is behaviors which are beyond the call of duty and are not mentioned in the job description, for instance, talking favorably about the organization to outsiders, showing cooperation with colleagues, take actions to protect organization from unexpected danger situations etc. (Brief & Motowidlo, 1986). The combination of these two types of behaviors play a crucial role in improving the organizational performance. The second type of behaviors has been denoted by different terms such as extra role behavior, contextual performance, organizational citizenship behavior (Organ,1990) etc. We use prosocial organizational behavior because it is an umbrella concept and encompasses both in role and extra role behaviors. It covers behaviors that can be considered informal reward system (Lee, 2001).

"Prosocial organizational behavior is behavior which is (a) performed by a member of an organization, (b) directed toward an individual, group, or organization with whom he or she interacts while carrying out his or her organizational role, and (c) performed with the intention of promoting the welfare of the individual, group, or organization toward which it is directed" (Brief & Motowidlo, 1986). Such kind of behaviors "include helping customers with personal matters; representing the organization favorably; assisting co-workers with job-related matters, volunteering for activities outside the usual job role; providing services to customers in organizationally consistent ways; putting in extra effort; staying in an organization despite hardship; suggesting procedural matters, administrative or organizational improvements; showing leniency in personnel decisions; complying with organizational values, policies and regulations; assisting co-workers with personal matters" (Brief & Motowidlo 1986: 713-16). The distinction between organizational citizenship behaviors, prosocial organizational behavior and organizational behavior is given in Table I.

Theoretical Framework & Hypothesis Development

Social Exchange theory (SET) has been used to understand employee's willingness to take extra role behaviors. SET is based on norms of reciprocity and relies more on reactive aspect. It argues for a balanced relationship that is mutually rewarding (Howard & Hollander, 1997). Individuals engage in helping behaviors when it is mutually rewarding to both parties. The positive...

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