Speaking up and stepping back: Examining the link between employee voice and job neglect

How does an employee attempts (or lack thereof) to improve or change work related circumstances influence one's ability to do one's job? This longitudinal study sought to examine this question by testing the relationship between employee voice and two distinct forms of job neglect (active and passive neglect) among child welfare workers at baseline (time 1: n = 359) and six month follow-up (time 2: n = 187). Path analysis results revealed significant yet unexpected relationships between employee voice and the forms of job neglect. At time one, results showed that as employees voiced, they engaged in active neglect; yet this relationship shifted over time. In that, employees who exercised voice at time 1 were less likely to engage in active job neglect at time 2. With respect to passive neglect and voice, employees who indirectly limited their work effort at baseline were more likely to speak up at time 2. This study examines this unique finding and the role that both employee voice and job neglect play as workers attempt to manage dissatisfying work conditions or promote positive organizational change.

Research highlights
► We tested two voice-neglect models to examine how these work behaviors influence each other.
► Each model examined voice (speaking up) with distinct forms of active or passive job neglect.
► Findings showed that speaking up can limit one’s propensity to engage in active neglect overtime.
► Moreover, speaking up can be considered a long-term outlet for those who engage in passive job neglect.
► Implications are drawn for practice in child welfare and human service settings.