Situating line managers towards the centre of employee voice research

Abstract

The notion of employee voice has been well established in the earlier chapters of this volume. In this chapter, the authors explore the important role of line managers in facilitating and managing employee voice. Despite the integral role that line managers play in contributing to a culture whereby voice is embedded within the organization, research on line managers and the role they play within voice regimes is an underinvestigated area. In order to better understand the line managers’ involvement in employee voice, the authors begin this chapter with an outline of and how line managers came to play such an important role in organizations. Critical components of the employee voice debates are examined before exploring in more detail the research that links line managers and employee voice. The chapter outlines areas that are underinvestigated or of growing importance in relation to the study of line managers and employee voice, including the obstacles line managers face, and how power and structure may influence line managers’ involvement in employee voice within an ever-changing work landscape.