An investigation into factors relating to speaking up in the workplace : a thesis (90 credits) presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master's in Business Studies in Management at Massey University, Extramural, New Zealand

This study investigates the factors that enable or prevent employees to speak up. Effective \nemployee communication is vital in early detection of problems. Employee silence is defined \nas the deliberate withholding of information useful to the progress of an organization. \nEmpowered employees will take personal accountability and ownership of issues. In an \nincreasingly competitive market employee communication and reaction to change is vital for \nthe success or failure of an organization. Previous research has found that failure of \nemployees to speak up can have significant consequences, including decreased innovation \nand productivity; unreported health and safety incidents; stress; depression; and lower \ncommitment and job satisfaction. This study (N = 240) has confirmed that employees may \nnot speak up out of fear of being labelled in a negative manner. Employees are more likely \nto speak up when they feel it is safe and worthwhile. This study provides recommendations \nfor managers for enabling and encouraging employees. The present study has found trust in \nsupervisor, supervisor support and self-monitoring were found to be significant predictors of \nspeaking up. \nKey words: Employee voice, employee silence, communication, management, speaking up