AF to mandate organizational, command climate on evaluation, feedback forms

The Air Force will reinforce its performance evaluation system by requiring evaluators to assess what Airmen did to ensure a healthy organizational climate.

Policy modifications, performance feedback, and officer and enlisted evaluation form changes will be implemented Jan. 1.

This increased focus is part of the overall Air Force effort to accentuate the emphasis on sexual assault prevention and response but encompasses a great deal more, according to Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, the deputy chief of staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services.

According to the general, organizational climate is defined as the way members in a unit perceive and characterize their unit environment.  All Airmen are responsible for creating an organizational climate in which every member is treated with dignity and respect.

“It has always been the duty of every Airman to positively contribute to a healthy organizational climate by being a good wingman, adhering to and enforcing standards, not allowing any action that is harmful to the good order and discipline of the unit, not tolerating sexual assault and harassment or any type of discrimination, and of course, building an environment based on a foundation of dignity and respect," Cox said. “This modification to policy now reinforces our responsibilities for organizational climate, ensures it is discussed during feedback and mandates its consideration on every Airman’s evaluation.”

To assist evaluators, the evaluation and feedback forms will be amended to list organizational climate as a gradable factor for consideration and discussion, the general said.

“This is extremely important as we place additional emphasis on this topic and truly change how culture is perceived in the Air Force,” Cox said.

Although the climate of an organization is everyone’s responsibility, commanders have the ultimate responsibility for setting the command climate, and it is incumbent on the commander to continually measure his or her climate and adjust accordingly to the needs of that unit, Cox added.  The policy modifications acknowledge this unique responsibility and authority by mandating the consideration of a commander’s success in maintaining a healthy command climate on all commander evaluations.

“A healthy organizational climate is vital to mission accomplishment and the well-being of the members of a unit,” Cox said.