Praise yet pursue: examining the role of supervisor delegation following coworker voice in shaping employee voice behavior

Purpose Prior research has predominantly examined supervisor delegation following employee voice from the perspectives of supervisors and voicers, while largely neglecting its impact from the standpoint of coworkers. Design/methodology/approach We employed a single-source, three-wave survey design to collect data from 303 full-time employees in China. Hypotheses were tested using regression and bootstrapping analyses implemented in SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. Findings The results indicate that supervisor delegation following coworker voice increases employees’ admiration, which in turn promotes their own voice behavior. Additionally, procedural justice strengthens both the direct and indirect effects in this process. Practical implications These findings indicate that supervisor delegation following coworker voice produces positive effects specifically for other employees, thereby emphasizing its broader impact beyond the direct recipient. Originality/value This study offers novel insight by shifting the focus from supervisor-initiated delegation to how such delegation is perceived and interpreted by coworkers.