Organizational climate, occupational stress, and employee mental health: mediating effects of organizational efficiency.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the relationship between organizational climate and employee mental health is consistent (ie, invariant) or differs across four large hospitals, and whether organizational efficiency mediates this relationship. METHODS Participants (total N = 5316) completed validated measures of organizational climate variables (social climate, participatory management, goal clarity, and performance feedback), organizational efficiency, occupational stress, and mental health. RESULTS Path analysis best supported a model in which organizational efficiency partially mediated relationships between organizational climate, occupational stress, and mental health. CONCLUSIONS Focusing on improving both the psychosocial work environment and organizational efficiency might contribute to decreased employee stress, improved mental well-being, and organizational performance.