Which statement correctly describes how culture and climate are typically assessed?

• A. Culture with OCAI; climate with climate surveys
• B. They are identical
• C. Climate with OCAI; culture with budget reviews
• D. Culture with customer surveys

Answer: (B)

Culture and climate are distinct dimensions of how organizations operate. Culture is the deeper, enduring system of shared values, beliefs, and norms that guide behavior across the organization. Climate, by contrast, reflects employees’ current, shared perceptions of their work environment—the moment-to-moment atmosphere created by leaders, policies, and practices. To assess culture, practitioners often use the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), which places culture along the four types in the Competing Values Framework. Climate is typically measured with climate surveys that capture perceptions about leadership support, communication, fairness, workload, safety, and other day-to-day aspects. Because they capture different facets, they aren’t the same thing, and using the right tool for each provides a clearer picture of what’s happening and what might need changing.