Development and validation of the Communal and Agentic Workplace Climate Scale

Abstract

Objectives This study aims to define and assess communal and agentic workplace climates (AWC), 2 pivotal dimensions perceived by employees within organizational contexts. Communal workplace climate highlights employees’ well-being, while AWC emphasizes productivity-related aspects. Material and Methods To enhance comprehension, the Communal and Agentic Workplace Climate Scale (CAWCS) was created and validated through a series of studies. The research involved 4008 employees from diverse positions and organizations across Poland. Initially, a pool of 20 items was designed to reflect these dimensions, with exploratory factor analysis identifying a robust set of 12 items. Results Confirmatory factor analysis substantiated the 2-factor structure of CAWCS. Reliability analyses indicated good internal consistency, supported by correlation analyses linking scale scores with diverse attitudinal and behavioral constructs. Conclusions This validation confirms the validity of CAWCS and highlights the significant associations between employees’ perceptions of these dimensions and their workplace experiences and behaviors. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(3):311–25

Keywords

• organizational climate
• job attitudes
• psychometric validation
• communal workplace climate
• agentic workplace climate
• the big two