Current trends in the study of the socio-psychological climate of the organization

Lukasheva Ksenia Alekseevna ORCID: 0000-0002-5191-1598 Postgraduate student of the Psychology department of the Institute "Higher School of Public Administration", Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) 82 Prospekt Vernadskogo str., Moscow, 119571, Russia kseni.batova@mail.ru

Socio-psychological climate is a fairly young term of social psychology. It was first used in 1963 in a report by N.S. Mansurov, E.V. Shorokhova and K.K. Platonov, but attempts to reveal its essence were made later, in the 1980s ^[10]. V.M. Shepel was one of the first to do this ^[35].  At different times, scientists have defined this phenomenon in different ways, in Russian science, the socio-psychological climate has become the object of research by E.S. Kuzmin ^[14], B.D. Parygin ^[22], A.V. Petrovsky ^[23], V.V. Boyko, A.G. Kovalev and V. N. Panferov ^[6], A.A. Rusalinova ^[30], A.N. Lutoshkina ^[12], K.K. Platonov ^[25], E.V. Shorokhova and O.I. Zotova ^[36], etc. In addition, four main approaches of domestic social psychology to understanding the nature of the emergence of the psychological climate of the collective are identified and described ^[28]. According to these concepts, the main aspect and central category of the organizational climate can be considered: collective consciousness, emotions and mood, interpersonal relationships, compatibility and cohesion ^[1]. However, there is still no clear, unified and generally accepted definition of the socio-psychological climate.

Despite the contradictory and multidimensional nature of the term, the socio-psychological climate is the object of many modern studies, both scientific and applied.

Within the framework of this work, the results of more than twenty modern studies over the past three years have been analyzed and five main trends in the study of the socio-psychological climate of the organization have been identified. Let's consider each of them.

The first trend is to consider the socio–psychological climate as a factor affecting the effectiveness of activities. A number of studies have proved the impact of a favorable climate on the efficiency, productivity and efficiency of employees and the organization as a whole. L.A. Trofimova notes that the result of the process of solving common tasks, joint work and interpersonal relationships between employees formed in its process is a socio-psychological climate. "That is why we can say that the socio-psychological climate affects the effectiveness of the team, and its improvement entails an increase in the efficiency of the company" ^[33]. A.B. Malysheva and V.V. Malysheva note that the creation of a favorable socio-psychological climate contributes not only to improving the effectiveness and productivity of activities, but also to improving conditions of functioning of the organization ^[18]. This hypothesis is also confirmed by the study of L.S. Vereshchagina, L.A. Olkhova and E.A. Kuznetsova, who believe that the result of measures to optimize and improve the socio-psychological climate is a high level of team cohesion, mutual understanding between group members, and consequently, an increase in the effectiveness and quality of the work of the organization's departments ^[8]. 

M.P. Pilyugina, in order to increase the efficiency of the organization's activities, proposes, first of all, to develop recommendations for improving and optimizing the socio-psychological climate ^[24].

 N.V. Moiseenko and S.V. Ritsman proved that the state of the socio-psychological climate also affects the quality of customer service. In addition, the authors concluded that these phenomena are related to the level of staff turnover ^[21]. The influence of the socio-psychological climate on the company's efficiency has been proven in the studies of E.N. Rzayeva ^[29] and L.A. Lazarenko, I.e. Khorolskaya ^[16]. In addition, S.A. Kovalev writes about the influence of a positive socio-psychological climate on the effectiveness of teamwork ^[13].

Yu.D. Ivanova, studying the relationship between the socio-psychological climate and working capacity, revealed that these two psychological phenomena are mutually conditioning: "influencing each other in a certain way: positively, negatively or neutrally, they create a special climate in the team, characteristic of a particular unit, determining the performance of each of the employees, which, in turn, it also has an impact on the climate in the team" ^[11].

Of particular interest is the fact that regardless of the field of activity of the organization, the trend of studying climate as a factor of company efficiency persists, and the research results are identical and complement each other. Thus, the relationship between climate and efficiency has been revealed in commercial organizations ^{[16; 21; 29]}, in manufacturing enterprises ^[24], in a pharmacy ^[18], in educational institutions ^[8], in a library ^[33], in multifunctional centers (MFC) ^[11], etc.

The second trend of studying the organization's climate is related to the identification of factors for optimizing the socio-psychological climate, as well as the development of recommendations for its improvement.

E.N. Rzayeva identifies a number of socio-psychological factors affecting the organization's climate: the ratio of formal and informal organizational structures, psychological compatibility, relationships between management and employees, the personality of the head and management style, the system of recruitment and placement of personnel ^[29].

According to L.S. Vereshchagina, L.A. Olkhova and E.A. Kuznetsova, in order to optimize the psychological climate in the organization, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations: ensure strict compliance with the rules of behavior adopted in the organization; establish a feedback culture; develop a competent motivation system; include people in joint projects, conduct corporate events and trainings aimed at team building; to develop a system of values and corporate culture; to optimize the number of personnel and functionality; to improve the quality of internal communications within divisions ^[8].

A.B. Malysheva and V.V. Malysheva, studying the socio-psychological climate of the pharmacy, identified a number of factors affecting it: official employment, material motivation, social guarantees, shift work schedule, competently built system of recruitment and evaluation of personnel, corporate life (regular trainings and training events, corporate holidays, competitions from manufacturers, etc.) ^[18].

M.P. Pilyugina believes that when developing recommendations for improving the socio-psychological climate, it is important to pay attention to the following factors: working conditions and comfort in the workplace, material interest of employees, moral and material stimulation of work, the personality of the head ^[24].

Yu.V. Zhiltsova, E.V. Dezhurova, L.V. Shatokhina, investigating the socio-psychological climate among correctional officers, formulated the conditions of a favorable climate in the team: 1) low level of conflict, aggressiveness and tension of employees; 2) a sense of psychological comfort in the team; 3) objective resolution of conflict situations; 4) knowledge of self-regulation behavior techniques by employees; 5) avoidance of factors provoking conflicts; 6) maintaining a calm tone of communication with each other; 7) constant prevention of conflicts ^[9].

L.A. Lazarenko and T.E. Khorolskaya single out moral and business compatibility of employees, business attitude, social optimism as factors of the organizational climate, and also propose to work on improving the socio-psychological climate in four directions: the choice of an optimal and comfortable management style; improvement of working conditions; work to improve relationships in the team; development of socio-psychological characteristics of the group ^[16].

The results of the study of the climate in the staff of the Department of Internal Affairs (I.V. Lavrentieva, I.V. Khamidova, E.A. Lopatin, O.V. Svinareva, V.V. Kryuchkov) proved the possibility of using special psycho-correction programs to improve the climate in the team. Employees demonstrating an average level of satisfaction with their activities and the team increased these indicators after corrective measures. It was also possible to reduce the level of aggressiveness, suspicion and irritability.  In addition, employees who have completed the program have become more inclined to cooperate and compromise, which, of course, has a positive impact on the climate ^[15]. S.Y. Mikhailova and D.E. Smirnov, conducting a comparative analysis of the socio-psychological climate and socio-psychological phenomena in the teams of employees of internal affairs bodies, revealed the relationship of climate and some psychological factors: features of interpersonal relationships in the team, leadership style, inclusion of employees in joint activities, the level of conflict ^[29].

E.V. Yashkova, V.A. Lavrentiev, E.B. Zhbakov are considering the possibility of qualitatively improving the climate in the team by organizing joint recreation, corporate holidays, joint training and trainings. The authors also identify factors that influence the formation of a comfortable working climate: job satisfaction, employee compatibility, teamwork, organization of joint activities and the nature of the work performed ^[37].

Z.G. Khanova, M.B. Pozina and A.D. Belikov formulated several practical recommendations for maintaining a comfortable psychological atmosphere in the team: to establish effective selection, training and regular certification of managerial personnel; to control and manage the process of forming norms, relationships, group opinions and emotions, expectations, values as significant components of the organization's climate; to solve timely and prevent interpersonal conflicts ^[34]. 

L.A. Afanasyeva identifies as the main aspect of climate optimization and improvement the improvement of the system of labor and recreation organization ^[2].

A number of authors (I.e. Lebedeva, T.V. Krylova, A.I. Berdnikova, A.V. Lelekova) include trainings aimed at team building in the program of optimization and development of a favorable climate ^[17].

Summing up, it is worth noting that all researchers pay attention to the same factors that affect the climate and through which it is possible to improve the climate of a particular team. It is possible to systematize these factors into several large groups:

1) Material and psychological working conditions;

2) Personnel management system;

3) Corporate culture;

4) Motivation system;

5) The identity of the manager;

6) Features of interpersonal interaction.

The third trend is the study of the relationship of the socio–psychological climate with organizational culture. Thus, N.A. Bovykina and A.G. Haidarov consider organizational culture as one of the three aspects of the socio-psychological climate, the other two aspects are the relationships in the team and the personal characteristics of employees, which are manifested in communication with colleagues ^[5]. Z.G. Khanova, M.B. Pozina and A.D. Belikov revealed that organizational culture based on trust, care, mutual understanding and mutual assistance affects the formation of positive interpersonal relationships between employees, and consequently, the maintenance of a favorable climate in the work team ^[34]. D.I. Ponomareva, investigating the role of the psychological climate in the formation of the organizational culture of a consulting organization, revealed that the state of the socio-psychological climate affects according to the level of organizational culture to the actual or planned state of the company ^[26]. V.K. Potemkin, as a result of a study on the factors and causes of an unfavorable socio-psychological climate, formulated directions for improving and optimizing the climate through the development of organizational culture ^[27].

Thus, organizational culture and socio-psychological climate are interdependent variables, however, in our opinion, the nature of their influence on each other is determined by the sphere of activity of the organization, the characteristics of the team and other external and organizational factors.

The study of the relationship between the personal qualities of the head, the management style and the socio-psychological climate of the organization is the fourth trend. I.N. Vedeneeva in her research poses the problem of the formation of personal characteristics of the head of the Department of Internal Affairs, which will help him to create and maintain a favorable socio-psychological climate in the team. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that there is no ideal leadership style, and each manager chooses and creates his own individual style based on his experience and knowledge. The leadership style should be optimal both for the leader himself and for the team, and it is permissible for the heads of internal affairs bodies to use both democratic and liberal leadership styles ^[7].

S.Y. Mikhailova and D.E. Smirnov, conducting a comparative analysis of the socio-psychological climate and socio-psychological phenomena in the teams of police officers, conducted an empirical study, one of the conclusions of which was the thesis that the most favorable organizational climate is more associated with collegial and sometimes permissive leadership styles, i.e. the more employees of freedom and responsibility for their decisions, the higher the indicators of the organizational climate will be ^[20]. Developing this idea in their further research, S.Y. Mikhailova and D.E. Smirnov come to the conclusion that the more favorable the climate in the team, the more employees are involved in joint activities and show a desire to interact with each other and build trusting relationships, while they less demonstrate the desire to manage and control others. However, according to the authors, this process is of a two-way nature: "on the one hand, a favorable climate in the team allows the manager to choose a management style based on interaction and cooperation; on the other hand, it is the sense of belonging to a common cause, involvement in joint activities and the desire to be in contact with members of his team that forms a favorable background of the socio-psychological climate in the team" ^[19]. In a study co-authored with E.A. Slesareva, a formative experiment was conducted, which allowed us to see positive changes in the socio-psychological climate and their relationship with the change in the assessment of management by employees, which began to be perceived as democratic and more open ^[31]. Thus, the hypothesis about the influence of leadership style on the climate of the organization was confirmed.

It is worth noting that the above studies were conducted in the teams of employees of the internal affairs bodies. Modern research conducted in commercial and government organizations is more focused on studying the personal qualities of employees necessary to maintain a favorable psychological climate. So A.B. Malysheva and V.V. Malysheva believe that such personal characteristics are diligence, sociability, tact, punctuality, politeness, organization and initiative ^[18].

E.V. Terelanskaya and I.V. Terelanskaya conducted a study in the centers of social services of the population and made two main conclusions: 1) the personality of social workers influences the socio-psychological climate; 2) the set of components of the psychological climate is identical in various social service organizations. The most important properties for maintaining a comfortable socio-psychological climate were named: respect and mutual assistance, mutual understanding, interest in joint leisure, goodwill in relationships, adaptability, cheerfulness, pride in their organization ^[32].

Nevertheless, it is important to note that the level of socio-psychological climate is significantly influenced by both the personality of the manager and the personal characteristics of employees.

The fifth trend is the study of the socio-psychological climate in combination with the peculiarities of behavior in conflict. The results of an empirical study by N.N. Biktina indicate that there is practically no conflict in groups with a favorable socio-psychological climate, and when a conflict occurs, employees in these groups choose strategies for cooperation and compromise. The strategy of adaptation and avoidance, on the contrary, leads to even greater conflict and reduced cohesion in the group ^[4]. Thus, there is a significant relationship between a favorable climate in the organization and positive conflict resolution strategies.

However, like the previous one, this trend can be traced to a greater extent in the system of internal affairs bodies ^{[3; 20]} and the penitentiary system ^[9]. As a result of an empirical study conducted by S.Y. Mikhailova and D.E. Smirnov, a lower level of employee conflict was revealed in teams with a more favorable socio-psychological climate ^[20]. The object of the study by T.A. Bezenkova, G.V. Slepukhina and O.A. Andrienko was the relationship between the style of behavior in conflict and the psychological climate in the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The authors have identified a positive relationship between compromise behavior and emotional and behavioral components of the socio-psychological climate. The connection between the rival strategy of behavior in conflict and the communicative component of the socio-psychological climate is also revealed ^[3].

In addition, researchers of the psychological climate among correctional officers (Y.V. Zhiltsova, E.V. Dezhurova, L.V. Shatokhina) give a number of recommendations related to the peculiarities of behavior in conflict (to reduce the level of conflict in the team, to train employees to constructive behavior in a conflict situation, to avoid factors provoking conflicts, etc.). These are the measures according to the authors, they will allow to optimize and manage the socio-psychological climate of the organization ^[9].

Thus, creating a conflict-free space and training employees to respond adequately to conflict situations is an important step in creating and maintaining a favorable and healthy climate of the organization. 

Conclusions

As a result of the analysis of the results of modern research , the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. In modern studies of the socio-psychological climate in the organization, five trends can be traced. The objects of research of scientists are: socio-psychological climate as a factor affecting the effectiveness of the organization; factors of optimization, improvement and management of the socio-psychological climate; the relationship of the socio-psychological climate with organizational culture; the influence of personal qualities of the head and management style on the socio-psychological climate of the organization; the relationship of the socio-psychological climate with the characteristics of behavior employees in conflict.
2. A favorable socio-psychological climate contributes to improving the effectiveness, productivity and efficiency of the organization.
3. There are a number of organizational and socio-psychological factors affecting the level of socio-psychological climate. These factors can be represented in the form of six large groups: material and psychological working conditions; personnel management system; corporate culture; motivation system; personality of the manager; features of interpersonal interaction. By means of these factors, optimization, improvement and management of the organization's climate are possible.
4. Organizational culture and socio-psychological climate are interrelated and depend on each other to varying degrees.
5. The level of the socio-psychological climate is significantly influenced by the personality of the manager, the management style, as well as the personal characteristics of employees.
6. An important step in managing the socio-psychological climate of an organization is to train employees to behave constructively in conflict situations, as well as to avoid and prevent conflicts.