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Organizational Climate Partially Mediates the Effect of Culture on Work Attitudes and Staff Turnover in Mental Health Services

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, Children’s Hospital San Diego, University of California, San Diego, 92123-4282, CA, USA

    Gregory A. Aarons

  2. Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, Children’s Hospital San Diego, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Angelina C. Sawitzky

  3. Child & Adolescent Services Research Center, Children’s Hospital San Diego, University of California, 3020 Children’s Way, MC-5033, San Diego, 92123-4282, CA, USA

    Gregory A. Aarons

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  1. Gregory A. Aarons
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  2. Angelina C. Sawitzky
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Correspondence to Gregory A. Aarons.

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Aarons, G., Sawitzky, A. Organizational Climate Partially Mediates the Effect of Culture on Work Attitudes and Staff Turnover in Mental Health Services. Adm Policy Ment Health 33, 289–301 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-006-0039-1

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