Silence, which is a dysfunctional behavior, works to resolve potential problems if used positively. It serves to restrain employees from bombarding management with information overload or indulging ...in conflicts. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the role of ethical leadership, regarding academically positive behaviors mediated by prosocial silence and organizational commitment. A total of 325 faculty members from higher education institutions in Pakistan participated in this study. The results show that ethical leadership is positively related to academically positive behaviors in the workplace. Furthermore, prosocial silence and organizational commitment were found to mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and academically positive behaviors. Additionally, employee engagement moderated the enhanced positive relationship between ethical leadership and academically positive behaviors mediated by prosocial silence and organizational commitment. Our study finds that silence can have two faces referred to
as Yin
(negative) and
Yang
(positive). The
Yang
of silence (i.e., prosocial silence) works well under ethical leadership and promises positive organizational outcomes. The current study also finds that employees hide their concerns in support when they trust their leaders' ability to nurture a moral culture. Thus, this study extends the literature on the
Yang
of silence (i.e., prosocial silence) using a moderated mediation model to understand ethical leadership in improving academically positive behaviors in an Asian context. Furthermore, the theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Although extant literature has covered the differences between unethical behaviors in relation to perpetrators and targets, most of this research has not considered the effects of observed unethical ...behaviors on employees. In this study, we focus on observed unethical behaviors of peers targeted at their organization and examine how witnessing a peer engage in an organizationally targeted unethical behavior would impact the observer. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, we propose that organizational identification will inform emotions, which in turn will shape employee silence, depending on how employees appraise the observed unethical behavior. We theorize that peer unethical behaviors would induce anger, anxiety, and vicarious shame, which will guide employees’ quiescent and prosocial silence behaviors. In addition, we suggest that the proposed relationships would vary with the level of organizational identification. With a sample of 329, results from a between-subject scenario study generally supported our hypotheses. There was a combined effect of peer unethical behaviors and organizational identification on anger, anxiety, and shame, which in turn led to employee silence in the cases of anxiety and shame.
PurposeEmployee silence is a pervasive workplace phenomenon that can cause severe economic losses to service organizations. Drawing on conservation of resource theory, the present research aims to ...investigate interpersonal antecedents of employee silence, specifically workplace ostracism while considering the moderating role of negative reciprocity beliefs (NRBs).Design/methodology/approachTwo-wave data collected from 355 employees working in service organizations in Pakistan supported the theorized model. The study used SmartPLS (v 3.2.7) to examine the measurement model and the structural model.FindingsAs projected, the authors found that workplace ostracism was positively related to acquiescence silence and defensive silence, but not related to prosocial silence. Besides, this study’s findings supported two-way interaction involving workplace ostracism and NRB on acquiescence silence and defensive silence, but not on prosocial silence. In particular, the presence of high NRB makes the adverse effects of workplace ostracism even worse.Originality/valueThis study explores the boundary conditions under which employee silence is more likely or less likely to occur. This just makes the current research all the more salient that why and when ostracized employees resort to remain silent in the workplace.
In this paper, we identified an expanded array of mediators including interactional justice, organizational‐based self‐esteem, and the meaning of work, which link abusive supervision to two ...organizational citizenship behaviours – prosocial silence and prosocial voice. Data from 175 employee–supervisor dyads in the Philippines were collected. Results of structural equation modelling revealed that abusive supervision was significantly negatively associated with followers' perceptions of interactional justice, which in turn was negatively associated with supervisor‐rated prosocial voice behaviours. In addition, abusive supervision was negatively associated with followers' beliefs that they are engaged in meaningful work and with organizational‐based self‐esteem, which in turn negatively influenced self‐rated prosocial silence. The discussion focuses on the implications of the hidden costs of abusive supervision in organizations.
Purpose
Drawing from organizational learning theory, social exchange theory and positive psychology approach, this study aims to examine the relationship between commitment to learning and prosocial ...silence, as well as the mediating role of perceived organizational support (POS) in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used path analysis to examine the relationships between research variables. Data were collected from 275 employees of private sector companies in Turkey through an online survey platform. To test the proposed hypotheses, the authors conducted regression and mediation analyses using the bootstrapping method.
Findings
The results indicate that the organization’s commitment to learning positively and significantly impacts employee prosocial silence, and POS partially mediates this relationship.
Practical implications
Managers who aim to promote other-oriented and helping behavior in the organization should understand how prosocial silence can be golden. They should cultivate and model a learning mindset by focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses, reward experimentation and provide employees with timely feedback allowing them to think and reflect on their failures.
Originality/value
Although the dominant position of previous studies endorses the detrimental sides of organizational silence, less research has focused on employees’ prosocial silence behavior and the underlying mechanisms that may explain employees’ tendency to remain silent with helpful intent, a gap this research attempts to fill.
We investigated the relationships among power distance, collectivism, punishment, and a multidimensional construct of silence. Participants were 628 full-time employees of 27 heavy-industry companies ...in South Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were
performed to test our hypothesized model. The results revealed that power distance induced acquiescent silence; however, power distance did not have any impact on defensive silence. Collectivism also generated acquiescent silence but did not influence prosocial silence; and punishment increased
defensive silence.
Nowadays, in many organizations, the employees are heard to express their ideas and beliefs concerning the problems in their organizations. This study is dealing with the phenomenon of the ...organizational silence and its effects on productivity. The research method was descriptive-survey and an applied one. The statistical population included all the employees working in the main office of Transportation and terminals department in central province, which added to 250 people. The sampling method was random sampling. Using Cochran’s formula 124 people were chosen as the sample size. To gather the data two standard questionnaires, namely Van Dyne (2003) on organizational silence and Hersey & Goldsmith (1980) to measure manpower effects on productivity. The results indicated that organizational silence had effect on productivity and the defensive Silence and the acquiescent Silence have negative effect on manpower productivity. The findings and results of the research study reveal that organizational silence has impact on labor productivity. Also the results show that ProSocial Silence has positive impact on labor productivity, and the Defensive Silence and the Acquiescent Silence has negative impact on labor productivity.
We conducted a survey with 744 highly skilled full-time employees of South Korean conducted a survey with 744 highly skilled full-time employees of South Korean organizations to examine the ...associations among 2 organizational factors, namely to examine the associations among 2 organizational
factors, namely centralization and communication opportunities, and 2 distinct forms of employee silence, and communication opportunities, and 2 distinct forms of employee silence, namely acquiescent and prosocial silence. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural acquiescent and prosocial
silence. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to test our hypothesized model. The findings revealed that modeling were performed to test our hypothesized model. findings revealed that centralization positively influenced employees' acquiescent silence
and that communication positively influenced employees' acquiescent silence and that communication opportunities positively impacted their prosocial silence. Theoretical and practical positively impacted their prosocial silence. and practical implications, limitations, and future research
directions are discussed. limitations, and future research directions are discussed.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the relational self-identity and prosocial silence in the context of the Egyptian public sector. It also examines the ...mediating effect of relational maintenance strategies among co-workers (RMSC) on the aforementioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a questionnaire that consists of measures adopted from existing and tested scales. A parallel mediation analysis is conducted using Sobel test for specific indirect effects in regression analysis. Findings – The findings reveal that high relational employees do not engage in prosocial silence unless they are involved in networking and shared tasks strategies. Originality/value – Prosocial silence has received limited attention despite its drastic effects in employee well-being. This study provides initial insights concerning the dynamics of social behaviours which motivate employees to avoid speaking up in order to not embarrass a workplace friend.
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