Harnessing the power of employee voice for individual and organizational effectiveness

Abstract

When employees speak up with improvement-oriented ideas or raise concerns about detrimental or harmful aspects of the work environment, organizations benefit and so do voicing employees. Despite the proven benefits, employees generally hesitate to speak up, and many managers are not receptive to employee voice. What can leaders do to overcome these challenges and harness the power of employee voice? We draw on research examining constructive forms of employee voice behavior to illustrate its value, explain how to maximize its effectiveness, and describe what voicing employees can do to ensure their voice is heard.