Impact of Facilitated DISC Training on Organizational Climate in a School of Health Professions.

Abstract

Organizational climate in higher education is increasingly seen as a key factor influencing faculty and staff engagement, student learning, and institutional effectiveness. High-performing workplaces often share a positive climate, marked by strong service outcomes, low turnover, and effective adoption of evidence-based practices. The DISC behavioral style assessment, widely used in business, identifies natural behavioral styles Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (C) to improve communication and collaboration. This study evaluated whether DISC assessment with brief training for faculty and staff could improve ratings of organizational climate within a school of health professions. A pre intervention climate survey (n = 109) was followed by DISC training during a 60- to 90-minute "lunch and learn" session (78% participation). A post intervention survey (n = 102) was conducted 1 year later. Chi square analysis showed a lower than expected proportion of D styles and a higher proportion of S styles (p < 0.05). Climate survey results, using a 5-point Likert scale and analyzed with a Wilcoxon ranked sums test, showed significant increases in overall climate ratings (3.98 ± 0.68 to 4.24 ± 0.59; p < 0.003), with specific gains in clarity and recognition (p < 0.008). Findings suggest that DISC assessment and training may be associated with improvements in organizational climate. Given its low cost, ease of use, and validated structure, DISC offers a practical intervention with potential to enhance the work environment in academic institutions.