Organizational climate partially mediates the effect of culture on work attitudes and staff turnover in mental health services

• Published in: Administration and policy in mental health and mental health services research 2006-05, Vol.33 (3), p.289-301
• Main Authors: Aarons, Gregory A, Sawitzky, Angelina C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitude; Attitudes; Corporate culture; Data Collection; Employee turnover; Female; Health services; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Mental health care; Mental Health Services; Mental Health Services - organization & administration; Organizational Climate; Organizational Culture; Personnel Turnover; Productivity; Public sector; Research centers; Turnover; United States; Work Attitudes; Work environment
• ISSN: 0894-587X; 1573-3289
• DOI: 10.1007/s10488-006-0039-1

Staff turnover in mental health service organizations is an ongoing problem with implications for staff morale, productivity, organizational effectiveness, and implementation of innovation. Recent studies in public sector services have examined the impact of organizational culture and climate on work attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) and, ultimately, staff turnover. However, mediational models of the impact of culture and climate on work attitudes have not been examined. The present study examined full and partial mediation models of the effects of culture and climate on work attitudes and the subsequent impact of work attitudes on staff turnover. Multilevel structural equation models supported a partial mediation model in which organizational culture had both direct influence on work attitudes and indirect influence through organizational climate. Work attitudes significantly predicted one-year staff turnover rates. These findings support the contention that both culture and climate impact work attitudes and subsequent staff turnover.