Leaving the Nested Structure: The Influence of Work Relationships on Climate Strength

Abstract

Climate strength indicates the degree of consensus (i.e., lack of variability) in the shared perceptions of individuals which are aggregated to the team level. An implicit assumption in this aggregation is that the nesting based on organizational structure is the closest representation of work relationships throughout the organization: individuals use their work relationships with their teammates and supervisors to make sense of their environments, thereby generating shared individual perceptions which attain a level of consensus. The nature of work has become more interdependent and connected, enabling work relationships to flourish. On the one hand, these changes further facilitate conditions to generate consensus. Yet I argue that these changes also: (a) increase the salience of relationships beyond team boundaries, and (b) differentially influence relationships within teams, both of which act as barriers to consensus. I explain and reconcile these conflicting perspectives, identifying alternate ways i...