A Behavioral Approach to Organizational Change: Reinforcing Those Responsible for Facilitating the Climate and Hence Promoting Diversity

ABSTRACT

Despite the passage of the U.S. Civil Rights Act in 1964, cries can still be heard for a more diverse workforce. Among the difficulties are retaining often sought-after women and minorities. In this 2-year demonstration, change agents—the provost, deans, and heads of departments/schools of a large public university—were helped to deliberately and directly change the milieu of their departments and schools so as to encourage faculty to remain. Uniquely suited to organizational change, the behavioral approach identifies constructive actions for change agents and, most importantly, provides proven strategies for motivating them. Fostering a supportive climate was defined in terms of change agents’ behaviors. The Building Behaviorally Based Climate Survey was developed and validated. Recognition and feedback were provided in what is typically a feedback desert. This reinforcement model can be used to create and sustain inviting atmospheres, hence enticing all faculty, including women and minority faculty, to stay, hence enabling a diverse workforce.

KEYWORDS:

• Organizational change
• diversity
• climate
• university
• retention/turnover

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the president, chancellors, provosts, diversity and faculty affairs personnel, deans, and department chairs of the foresighted university, which will remain unnamed, for their support and enthusiasm in our efforts to tackle this challenging yet critical issue. Thanks as well to our colleague Susan Taylor and to Baruch College students Carol Ann Winters and Dan Beckendorf.

Notes

¹ For overall climate, including all comments scored as positive, negative, and neutral, the interrater agreement score was 84%. The aspects of climate were at least 70%: evaluation (71%), career advisement (89%), and acknowledgment (71%). The interrater agreement scores for parties responsible were as follows: chair/deans (79%), colleagues (81%), and upper administration (77%). Some of the other topics ranged from 84% (survey) to highs of 90% (diversity), 94% (salary), and 96% (resources).