Value and appraisal: human resource management practices and voice behaviors

Abstract

PurposeEmployee voice is considered an important driver of organizational success. Management practices in the form of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) are expected to influence promotive and prohibitive voices. In addition, employee appraisal of HPWPs as a challenge or hindrance stressor is supposed to mediate the relationships. Finally, the self-direction value moderates the indirect effects of HPWPs on voice behaviors through employee appraisal.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was adopted with data collected from 315 subordinate supervisor dyads from 12 business organizations in Vietnam. This research uses partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses.FindingsResults indicate that HPWPs are significantly associated with both types of employee voice behaviors. Challenge appraisal partially mediates the impact of HPWPs on promotive voice, while hindrance appraisal acts as a partial mediation in the HPWPs-prohibitive voice linkage. Self-direction value moderates the link between HPWPs and prohibitive voice.Research limitations/implicationsResults show that HPWPs may have both productive and harmful effects on employees. Depending on how the employees appraise HPWPs, they develop different coping strategies by raising their voices. HPWP-implementing organizations should pay attention to the employees’ values in this process.Originality/valueThis study investigates the relationship between HPWPs and employee voice based on the transactional theory of stress and coping. The mediating role of employee appraisal represents a new contribution. Finally, the role of self-direction value in the voice literature has not been widely evaluated in previous research.