How Employees Learn to Speak Up From Their Leaders: Gender Congruity Effects in the Development of Voice Self-Efficacy

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Yan, Thomas Taiyi; Tangirala, Subrahmaniam; Vadera, Abhijeet K.; Ekkirala, Srinivas
• 署名单位: University of London; University College London; University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park; Singapore Management University; Indian Institute of Management (IIM System); Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/apl0000892
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 650-667
• 关键词: gender; EMPLOYEE VOICE; SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

摘要

Voice-or the expression of ideas, concerns, or opinions on work issues by employees-can help organizations thrive. However, we highlight that men and women differ in their voice self-efficacy, or the personal confidence in formulating and articulating work-related viewpoints. Such differences, we argue, can impede women's voice from emerging at work. Drawing on social cognitive theory (SCT), we propose that women tend to develop greater voice self-efficacy and thereby speak up more when they have the opportunity to observe female rather than male leaders speak up. Hence, we point to the potential absence of women leaders who can role model speaking up at work as a likely inhibiter of women's voice. Using data from a correlational field study involving 368 employees and their leaders from a variety of industries in India and an experimental study in an online panel of 546 US-based workers, we found support for our hypotheses. We discuss the implications of our research for theory and practice.