Respectful Workplace Climate Scale
The Respectful Workplace Climate Scale is a key component of the Respect Works program. The scale is the first scientifically validated tool in existence to measure respectful workplace climate. The scale, which comes in an online long and short form survey was developed by a research team led by Professor Emily (Yueng-hsiang) Huang at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health and Science University.
The Respectful Workplace Climate (RWC) Scale, was developed with support from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The RWC Scale was introduced in a new study published in the Journal of Business and Psychology and goes beyond simply asking if people feel respected at work. The RWC Scale systematically measures how organizational policies, supervisor behaviors, and coworkers' interactions collectively create—or undermine—a culture of respect.
What makes this scale innovative is its multi-layered approach. Huang and the research team identified three distinct levels where respect operates: organizational, supervisory, and coworker. At the organizational level, the scale assesses whether companies have fair hiring practices and genuinely discipline harassment regardless of someone's position or popularity. The supervisor level evaluates whether direct managers make fair decisions, listen to concerns, and actively prevent bullying. Finally, the coworker level measures whether employees treat each other with kindness and speak up against harassment.
The results reveal striking connections between respectful workplace climates—an indicator of workplace culture—and employee health. Workers who perceived higher levels of respect at all three levels reported significantly lower stress, anxiety, and depression. They also showed greater job satisfaction, stronger organizational commitment, and were less likely to quit.
Perhaps most telling: the scale predicted actual organizational turnover rates. In a supplemental study of 144 employees at 30 businesses, companies with lower RWC scores experienced higher employee exodus over six months.
