Improving Workplace Climate in Large Corporations: A Clustered Randomized Intervention

Sule Alan, Gozde Corekcioglu and Matthias Sutter

No 2021_17, Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods from Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods

Abstract: We evaluate the impact of a training program aimed at improving the relational atmosphere in the workplace. The program encourages prosocial behavior and the use of professional language, focusing primarily on leaders' behavior and leader-subordinate interactions. We implement this program using a clustered randomized design involving over 3000 headquarters employees of 20 large corporations in Turkey. We evaluate the program with respect to employee separation, pro and antisocial behavior, the prevalence of support networks, and perceived workplace climate. We find that treated firms have a lower likelihood of employee separation, fewer employees lacking professional and personal help, and denser, less segregated support networks. We also find that employees in treated corporations are less inclined to engage in toxic competition, exhibit higher reciprocity toward each other, and report higher workplace satisfaction and a more collegial environment. The program's success in improving leader-subordinate relationships emerges as a likely mechanism to explain these results. Treated subordinates report higher professionalism and empathy in their leaders and are more likely to consider their leaders as professional support providers.

Keywords: Workplace climate; relational dynamics; leadership quality; RCT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 M14 M53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-09-14, Revised 2022-08-15
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-env, nep-exp and nep-hrm
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Improving Workplace Climate in Large Corporations: A Clustered Randomized Intervention (2023)
Working Paper: Improving Workplace Climate in Large Corporations: A Clustered Randomized Intervention (2021)
Working Paper: Improving Workplace Climate in Large Corporations: A Clustered Randomized Intervention (2021)
Working Paper: Improving Workplace Climate in Large Corporations: A Clustered Randomized Intervention (2021)
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