Strategic or Silencing? Line Managers’ Repurposing of Employee Voice Mechanisms for High Performance
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Author(s)
Mowbray, PK
Wilkinson, A
Tse, HHM
Year published
2021
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In this paper, we explore how the pressure to deliver high performance influences line managers in their shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms to encourage improvement‐oriented voice in organizations. Using qualitative data (50 semi‐structured interviews) from two case studies, including a manufacturing organization and a university, we find line managers were proactive in the (re)shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms in response to the high‐performance strategy. Where there was less HR support given to line managers, we found line managers were more inclined to create their own voice mechanisms. ...
View more >In this paper, we explore how the pressure to deliver high performance influences line managers in their shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms to encourage improvement‐oriented voice in organizations. Using qualitative data (50 semi‐structured interviews) from two case studies, including a manufacturing organization and a university, we find line managers were proactive in the (re)shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms in response to the high‐performance strategy. Where there was less HR support given to line managers, we found line managers were more inclined to create their own voice mechanisms. However, we observed that a focus on improvement‐oriented voice associated with employer interests diverted employee‐interest voice away from collective and formal channels, into more informal channels. We indicate the dangers of prioritizing an employer‐interest, improvement‐oriented voice approach.
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View more >In this paper, we explore how the pressure to deliver high performance influences line managers in their shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms to encourage improvement‐oriented voice in organizations. Using qualitative data (50 semi‐structured interviews) from two case studies, including a manufacturing organization and a university, we find line managers were proactive in the (re)shaping and repurposing of employee voice mechanisms in response to the high‐performance strategy. Where there was less HR support given to line managers, we found line managers were more inclined to create their own voice mechanisms. However, we observed that a focus on improvement‐oriented voice associated with employer interests diverted employee‐interest voice away from collective and formal channels, into more informal channels. We indicate the dangers of prioritizing an employer‐interest, improvement‐oriented voice approach.
View less >
Journal Title
British Journal of Management
Copyright Statement
© 2021 British Academy of Management. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Strategic or Silencing? Line Managers’ Repurposing of Employee Voice Mechanisms for High Performance, British Journal of Management, Early View, 2021, which has been published in final form at 10.1111/1467-8551.12469. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)
Subject
Human resources and industrial relations
Marketing
Strategy, management and organisational behaviour