A “Thank You” From Leader Energizes Employees to Voice: Power Distance Orientation as a Moderator

Abstract

Previous research on relational energy has examined various ways that leader can increase employees’ relational energy. However, as a ubiquitous leader-follower interaction, whether leader emotion expression facilitates relational energy is still unknown. Based on recent theories and research about relational energy and workplace gratitude, we develop a conceptual model to explain whether and when leader emotion expression generates relational energy for employees. We hypothesize that leader downward gratitude expression enhances employees’ relational energy at work, which further promotes employees to speak up. Besides, we also propose that the effect of gratitude on relational energy and its subsequent extra-role behavior (i.e., employee voice) are contingent on employees’ power distance orientation. We found general support for our hypothesized model in a two-wave and multi-source field study and a pre-registered scenario experiment. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our research.