Managing Voices for the Greater Good: Insights on the Risks and Consequences of Speaking Up

Abstract

There is a pressing need for employees to speak up in the face of wrongdoing, interpersonal mistreatment, or questionable work experiences. At the same time, there are substantial risks and consequences for employees who raise moral concerns ineffectively, such as retaliation, dismissal, and firing. In this symposium, we provide a sharp focus on the risks and consequences of speaking up in the workplace, extending beyond what has been considered by extant research. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, our papers investigate influential factors and underlying mechanisms that predict voice-related behaviors and shape observer reactions. More broadly, our papers offer collective insights into the overall process of speaking up and integrate the respective literatures within this research domain (e.g., voice, whistleblowing, moral courage), which have largely evolved independently of each other. The Courage to Address Unethical Behavior at Work Presenter: Moran Anisman Razin; Duke U. Presenter: Sim B. Sitkin; Duke U. How Can Male Allies Show Support? Examining Reactions to Men’s Voice on Gender Equity Issues Presenter: Insiya Hussain; U. of Texas at Austin Presenter: Elad Netanel Sherf; Kenan-Flagler Business School, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Presenter: Alyssa Tedder-King; Kenan-Flagler Business School, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Dominance, Prestige, and Morality Perceptions Explain the Status Acquisition of Workplace Vigilantes Presenter: Ekin Ok; Sauder School of Business, U. of British Columbia Presenter: Joey Cheng; York U., Toronto Presenter: Simon Lloyd D. Restubog; U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Presenter: Karl Aquino; U. of British Columbia Moral Objection in The Workplace: A Review and Synthesis with A New Paradigm Presenter: Noriko Tan; National U. of Singapore Presenter: Abhijeet K. Vadera; Singapore Management U. Presenter: Lily Morse; West Virginia U. Presenter: Ann Tenbrunsel; U. of Notre Dame