Strategic HR A different slant
Work issues experienced (%)
Work pressure, e.g. unmanageable
workload, long hours
Considerable organisational change
Redundancy/job insecurity concerns
Personal confl ict or dispute at work, for
example with a colleague or manager
Bullying
Discrimination or prejudice
Other work issue
Sexual harassment
I have not experienced any of these
work issues
57 43
71 29
79 21
81 19
92 8
95 5
97 3
98 2
65 35
No Yes 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
take on board new ways of
thinking and operating. Our
analysis reveals that this is also
the case where employee voice
is concerned.
The data shows that while
24% said their organisation’s
climate is strong in terms of
innovation and flexibility, 30%
of respondents perceive it to be
weak in this respect. This is
clearly a significant barrier for
organisations seeking to be
more innovative.
From research to reality
Our findings have highlighted the
importance of informal voice in
the workplace, and the vital role
that line managers play. As the
main way through which
employees express their ideas
and concerns, all organisations
would benefit from training all
their managers on how to
facilitate open conversations
during one-to-one meetings with
team members.
As collective channels for
voice are less commonly used
it’s important to consider
how individuals can be
empowered to have a say over
working conditions through
alternative means.
Creating ways for all staff to be
involved in organisational
decision-making at an
appropriate level, and to influence
matters that affect them at work,
can positively influence their
attitude and sense of fulfilment at
work. Which in turn can boost
efforts to achieve organisational
goals and reduce intentions
to leave.
In the current economic
climate of uncertainty it’s crucial
that people feel able to raise issues
and concerns at work. Problems
left unaddressed can harm
individual wellbeing and
organisational performance.
When an issue is raised in the
organisation by an individual it’s
important that it is acted on so
that they feel supported and
confident to speak up in the
future. HR should provide an
employee assistance programme
to offer independent advice on a
range of work and personal issues.
People professionals should
also consider how organisational
design and processes influence
employees’ abilities to express
their voice – both on matters that
affect them personally, and on
those that could improve
innovation and organisational
effectiveness. HR practitioners
should explore the reasons why
individuals may choose not to
feel leaders and line managers
need to understand the value of
employee voice and demonstrate
empathic listening. People
professionals should develop an
organisational environment that
supports and rewards ideasharing
and open discussion. HR
About the author
speak up about issues that are
important to them and uncover
ways they can be helped to do so
by considering individual needs
and motivations for voice. Some
voice mechanisms may exclude
particular employee groups –
such as part-time or remote
workers who may be unable to
attend meetings.
Employees early in their
careers, and those who have
recently joined the organisation,
should be encouraged to voice
their thoughts too.
Even more importantly,
managers and HR professionals
together need to ensure
employees continue to feel
supported to express what’s on
their minds throughout their
employment. Seeing that their
suggestions or concerns will be
acted on, or not judged negatively
by others in the organisation, can
help individuals feel safe in
speaking out. A culture of
openness and support must be
role-modelled at all levels.
To help employees feel safe and
confident about saying how they
References
l Kwon, B., Farndale, E., and Park, J. G.
(2016). Employee voice and work
engagement: Macro, meso, and
micro-level drivers of convergence?
Human Resource Management
Review, 26(4), p327-337.
Helen Shipton is professor
of human resource
management and director
of the Centre for People,
Work and Organisational
Practice at Nottingham
Business School,
Nottingham Trent
University. Her work
investigates the role of
people practices in
enabling innovation. She
has led on research
commissioned by the
engineering and
manufacturing sector
investigating innovation
culture and is leading this
phase of the Employee
Voice project
commissioned by the CIPD.
Daniel King is professor of
organisational behaviour
and co-director for the
People, Work and
Organisational Practice
research centre at
Nottingham Business
School, Nottingham Trent
University. His research
focuses on critical
management, and the third
sector and its application
of alternative practices and
ways of managing.
l Shipton, H., King, D.,
Pautz, N. and Baczor, L.
(2019). Talking about
voice: employees’
experiences. CIPD report.
Accessed at: bit.ly/2JhEeqE
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