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Article
Publication date: 27 October 2020

Paula K. Mowbray, Adrian Wilkinson and Herman H.M. Tse

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model drawing together and integrating research from employment relations (ER), human resource management (HRM) and…

3397

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model drawing together and integrating research from employment relations (ER), human resource management (HRM) and organizational behaviour (OB) to identify how high-performance work systems (HPWS) encourage voice behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify shortcomings in research on the relationship between HPWS practices and employee voice behaviour, attributable to the disparate conceptualization of voice across management disciplines. The authors then present a conceptual model using the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework to theorize how the ER climate influences the design of the HPWS and subsequently how the HPWS encourages voice behaviour. Practical implications and recommendations for future studies are provided.

Findings

The mutual gains ER climate will influence the design of the HPWS; in turn the HPWS' practices will influence line manager AMO to manage voice and the employees' AMO to engage in voice behaviour, resulting in the encouragement of both employer and employee interest forms of voice.

Practical implications

The HPWS-voice behaviour interaction model sheds light on the types of HR practices organisations can implement to optimize employee voice behaviour.

Originality/value

The conceptual model demonstrates how ER, HRM and OB factors influence voice behaviour within a HPWS, which has not previously been considered by voice scholars. The integrated conceptual model encourages a multidisciplinary approach to studying employee voice in future research.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 50 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 13 December 2024

Leah Hague, Michael Barry, Paula K. Mowbray, Adrian Wilkinson and Ariel Avgar

We aim to advance our understanding by examining voices related to employees’ own interests and associated outcomes for employees and healthcare organizations. Patient safety…

38

Abstract

Purpose

We aim to advance our understanding by examining voices related to employees’ own interests and associated outcomes for employees and healthcare organizations. Patient safety reviews do not explore contextual factors such as organizational or professional cultures and regulatory environments in depth, and arguments for overcoming barriers to voice in health are underdeveloped. The research has largely developed in separate literature (various subdisciplines of management and the health field), and we outline the divergent emphases and opportunities for integration with the aim of investigating all relevant contextual factors and providing guidance on best practice informed by multiple disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic approach was taken to gathering and reviewing articles, and coding and reporting are in line with the most recent Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (Rethlefsen et al., 2021).

Findings

We identified a range of facilitators, barriers and outcomes of employee interest voice at different levels (organizational, leadership, team or individual) in a healthcare context. We identify various theoretical, methodological and knowledge gaps, and we suggest several ways in which these can be addressed in future research efforts.

Practical implications

We make multiple contributions to both theory and practice, including highlighting the importance and implications of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of healthcare voice and to shifting management focus to include all forms of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff and patients.

Originality/value

We make multiple contributions to both theory and practice including highlighting the importance of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context to include employee interest issues, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of health care voice and to shifting management focus to take a more inclusive view of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff as well as patients.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 28 February 2022

Fenwick Feng Jing, Adrian Wilkinson, Paula K. Mowbray, Maria Khan and Huanpeng Zhang

The aim of this study is to explore and unpack the notion of lateral voice within the context of a Chinese hospital.

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore and unpack the notion of lateral voice within the context of a Chinese hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative design was used, involving interviews of 24 medical personnel from a public hospital in mainland China. This included two focus groups (eight participants each) of physicians and nurses, and eight individual interviews with managers, including a chief nurse and directors of the medical centre.

Findings

The findings reveal that in top-down contexts with a respect for hierarchy, direct and vertical voice is discouraged but lateral voice fills this gap and can lead in some circumstances to a pathway to collective vertical voice. Interestingly, the study finds that fear of damaging relationships with peers may also discourage lateral voice in some cases, leading to silence altogether. Contradictory lateral voice outcomes arising from employees working within this context are discussed.

Originality/value

The study makes an original contribution to voice literature through exploring an understudied voice target, that is, voicing to peers. In doing so, the study demonstrates the importance of lateral voice as an important component of voice behaviour.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 52 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 February 2025

Luke Booker, Paula K Mowbray, Keith Townsend and Xi Wen Chan

The well-being of employees in distributed work has never been of more importance. This study aims to investigate the factors that empower or undermine the connectivity agency of…

1

Abstract

Purpose

The well-being of employees in distributed work has never been of more importance. This study aims to investigate the factors that empower or undermine the connectivity agency of teleworkers. Connectivity agency is an important form of autonomy for managing work–home boundaries, recuperation from work and psychological detachment. With this in mind it becomes vital to understand how connectivity agency is shaped by various contextual factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study draws upon data collected from 27 teleworkers representing a variety of industries and roles. We employed a semi-structured interview protocol and analysed the data using Tracy’s (2013) iterative coding technique.

Findings

Factors that influence one’s likelihood or capacity to exercise connectivity agency exist at the individual, group or organisational level. Our data elucidate factors such as the provision of home and technological resources, the state of team norms and shared expectations and the level of organisational (dis)trust as having significant influence on whether a teleworker exercises connectivity agency, or whether attempts to do so fail altogether.

Originality/value

Whilst we have a comprehensive understanding of types of connectivity agency behaviours, it is unclear how one’s agency may be influenced by contextual factors. The originality and key contribution of our study is in enriching our understanding of connectivity agency to appreciate it as a dynamic phenomenon that is shaped by various contextual factors. This presents a variety of important insights for professionals leading, implementing or partaking in distributed work.

Details

Employee Relations: The International Journal, vol. 47 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 29 October 2024

Adrian Wilkinson, Paula Mowbray, Michael Barry and Ariel Avgar

303

Abstract

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 38 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

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Article
Publication date: 2 July 2024

Adrian Wilkinson, Michael Barry, Leah Hague, Amanda Biggs and Paula Brough

In recent years, in research and policy circles, there is growing interest in the subject of speaking up (and silence) within the health sector, and there is a consensus that it…

138

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, in research and policy circles, there is growing interest in the subject of speaking up (and silence) within the health sector, and there is a consensus that it is a major issue that needs to be addressed. However, there remain gaps in our knowledge and while scholars talk of a voice system – that is the existence of complementary voice channels designed to allow employees to speak up – empirical evidence is limited. We seek to explore the notion of a voice system in a healthcare organisation as comprising structures and cultures as seen from different stakeholder perspectives. What do they see and how do they behave and why? To what extent do the users see a voice system they can access and easily navigate?

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews and focus groups were conducted with a voice stakeholder group (e.g. designers of the system from senior management and HR, which comprised 23 staff members) as well as those who have to use the system, with 13 managers and 26 employees from three units within a metropolitan hospital: an oncology department, an intensive care unit and a community health service. Overall, a total of 62 staff members participated and the data were analysed using grounded theory to identify key themes.

Findings

This study revealed that although a plethora of formal voice structures existed, these were not always visible or accessible to staff, leading to confusion as to who to speak up to about which issues. Equally other avenues which were not designated voice platforms were used by employees to get their voices heard.

Originality/value

This papers looks at the voice system across the organisation rather than examining a specific scheme. In doing so it enables us to see the lived perceptions and experiences of potential users of these schemes and their awareness of the system as a whole.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 38 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 November 2024

Marina Garcia-Morante, Crista Weise, Laura Karina Diaz Villalba and Montserrat Castelló

This study aims to critically assesses how Spanish PhD holders working outside academia perceive and value their past PhD training experiences within academic PhD programs…

356

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to critically assesses how Spanish PhD holders working outside academia perceive and value their past PhD training experiences within academic PhD programs, addressing the growing need for skills applicable in various sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a retrospective interpretative design, the authors collected qualitative data from 35 PhD holders who have transitioned to non-academic careers. Through multimodal interviews, the authors gathered in-depth perceptions to understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing PhD training in relation to non-academic employability.

Findings

The findings highlight a significant disconnect between academic-oriented training and the practical demands of non-academic jobs, particularly in non-research roles. While PhD training was valued in research-related non-academic positions, especially in STEM fields, it was considered insufficient for those in managerial or other non-research roles unless the training included specific industry-related projects. Participants suggested a cultural shift in PhD programs towards a more balanced academic and non-academic focus, integrating societal concerns and broader competencies like effective communication and managerial skills. These changes are seen as crucial for better-preparing PhD candidates for diverse professional environments, emphasising the need for PhD programs to evolve continually in response to the changing dynamics of the labour market and societal needs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about the need for PhD programs to evolve by offering a unique perspective from within the Spanish context. It underscores the necessity for educational reforms incorporating comprehensive skill training, aligning more closely with the career opportunities available to PhD graduates.

Details

Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4686

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 25 April 2008

Lydia Makrides, Gilles R. Dagenais, Arun Chockalingam, Jacques LeLorier, Natalie Kishchuk, Josie Richard, John Stewart, Christine Chin, Karine Alloul and Paula Veinot

The purpose of this paper is to docoment a randomized controlled trial, with follow‐up at three and six months, to determine the impact of a coronary risk factor modification…

1373

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to docoment a randomized controlled trial, with follow‐up at three and six months, to determine the impact of a coronary risk factor modification program for employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Intervention participants received a 12‐week health promotion program involving exercise, education seminars, nutritional analysis and smoking cessation counselling. Outcome measures included differences in coronary risk factors of control and intervention participants between baseline and three and six‐month follow‐up visits.

Findings

The participants included 566 individuals employed in the Halifax area, Nova Scotia, Canada. They were between 19 and 66 years old with at least two modifiable coronary risk factors. There were statistically significant differences at three months in coronary risk score improvement, smoking cessation, physical activity level increases, body mass index reductions and serum cholesterol. At six months, improvements remained significant except for cholesterol. Reduction in blood pressure was not significantly different. Intervention participants compared to control participants showed significant differences in both cardiac and stroke risk at three and six‐month visits.

Practical implications

This study demonstrates that employees had a significant coronary disease risk reduction as a result of a relatively short health promotion intervention. Benefits three months post‐intervention were not sustained to the same extent as during the intervention. This underscores the need for long‐term commitment with lifestyle changes and raises the issue of the need for a comprehensive approach that also addresses environmental factors.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the current research base on this topic as there are few well‐designed studies to reduce coronary risk factors for employees.

Details

Clinical Governance: An International Journal, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7274

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 November 2024

Karolina Bohacova and Mats Heide

The article aims to increase the understanding of how coworkers perform voice (i.e., do voicing) in internal meetings while embedding the phenomenon in wider organizational and…

144

Abstract

Purpose

The article aims to increase the understanding of how coworkers perform voice (i.e., do voicing) in internal meetings while embedding the phenomenon in wider organizational and social contexts. It answers the following research questions: 1. How do coworkers perform voicing in team meetings at an international manufacturing company? 2. How do coworkers experience voicing in meetings?

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative study is based on empirical material collected through 11 observations and 16 semi-structured interviews at a multinational organization within the transportation and infrastructure sector.

Findings

Work meetings remain largely silent even though coworkers perceive their workplace as safe, open and transparent. Coworker’s voicing is therefore postponed or transformed into a form of pseudo-communication, influenced by a discourse of productivity, effectivity and efficiency, hybrid ways of organizing, and both enabling and constraining character of a meeting structure. Additionally, the study uncovers a new form of unobtrusive managerial control, i.e. wellbeing talk. Coworker’s voicing is a complex communication process influenced by various social, cultural, organizational, individual and team-based norms.

Research limitations/implications

The article offers a three-fold contribution to communication scholarship: (1) identification and exploration of new communicative phenomena emerging in organizations; (2) problematization of silence and voice theories and (3) challenging the theoretical assumption that open organizational environments, psychological safety and transparency automatically result in coworkers’ voicing.

Practical implications

Our results raise several practical challenges that teams must address, such as who is responsible for facilitating coworker’s voicing and what is reasonable to expect from coworkers. Some members’ silence might not mean they are unsatisfied or suppressing their voicing. Instead, they might need more time to reflect before their performance. Ideally, coworker’s voicing becomes a habitualized practice, replacing the currently normalized silence.

Originality/value

The study departed from the fact that work meetings, i.e. everyday organizational communicative events, are commonly taken for granted, and the importance of coworker’s voicing in organizing processes remains overlooked. This article problematizes the current dominant voice scholarship, which is strongly influenced by normative managerial thinking and a limited understanding of communication. Voicing is not merely a voluntary, rational and reactive communicative process. Instead, we propose voicing is a complex interplay between various situational, structural, social, cultural and team-based influences governed by norms and power dynamics.

Details

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1356-3289

Keywords

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