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Cited by 1,671Job Satisfaction and Organizational BehaviorLabor Movements and UnionsCommunication in Education and Healthcare

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 46 of the 48 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

An Exploratory Study of Employee Silence: Issues that Employees Don’t Communicate Upward and Why*

Milliken, Frances J., Morrison, Elizabeth W., Hewlin, Patricia F.·2003·Journal of Management Studies
DOI 10.1111/1467-6486.00387
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Abstract

ABSTRACT There is evidence from a variety of sources that employees often do not feel comfortable speaking to their bosses about organizational problems or issues that concern them. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the types of issues that employees are reluctant to raise, and identify why employees sometimes decide to remain silent rather than voice their concerns. We interviewed 40 employees and found that most had been in situations where they were concerned about an issue but did not raise it to a supervisor. Silence spanned a range of organizational issues, with several of our respondents indicating that they did not feel comfortable speaking to those above them about any issues or concerns. The most frequently mentioned reason for remaining silent was the fear of being viewed or labeled negatively, and as a consequence, damaging valued relationships. From our data, we develop a model of how the perceived consequences of voice contribute to silence, and a model of how the social and relational implications of speaking up can take away employees’ ability to have influence within an organizational setting.

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. 10.5465/amr.2002.5922314 · DOI · Paper page
  2. Argyris C., 1977, ‘Double loop learning in organizations’., Harvard Business Review, 55, 115
  3. Ashforth B. E., 1995, Research in Organizational Behavior, 413
  4. Ewing D. W., 1977, Freedom Inside the Organization
  5. 10.2307/258338 · DOI
  6. Janis I. L., 1982, Groupthink
  7. Seligman M. E. P., 1975, Helplessness

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Metadata

Authors
Milliken, F. J., Morrison, E. W., & Hewlin, P. F.
Affiliations
New York University (US)
Corresponding author
Milliken, Frances J.
Venue
Journal of Management Studies
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2003-08-04
Volume
40
Issue
6
Pages
1453-1476
ISSN
  • 0022-2380 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-6486
DOI
10.1111/1467-6486.00387
OpenAlex
W2013337369
Cited by
1,671
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 112 · 2025: 100 · 2024: 136 · 2023: 104 · 2022: 131 · 2021: 163 · 2020: 125 · 2019: 95 · 2018: 131 · 2017: 82 · 2016: 108 · 2015: 74 · 2014: 73 · 2013: 60 · 2012: 40
FWCI
17.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
Journal of Management Studies (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Industrial relations › Labor Movements and Unions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Communication in Education and Healthcare
Keywords
employee silence, upward communication, speaking up, fear of negative evaluation, supervisor-employee relationship, organizational voice, employee influence, workplace communication

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