Mowbray, P.K., Wilkinson, A. orcid.org/0000-0001-7231-2861 and Tse, H.H.M. (2022) Strategic or silencing? Line managers’ repurposing of employee voice mechanisms for high performance. British Journal of Management, 33 (2). pp. 1054-1070. ISSN 1045-3172
Abstract
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.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 British Academy of Management and Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in British Journal of Management. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Employee voice; Employee silence; Line managers; HR practices; High performance; Strategic HRM; Employment relations |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Management School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 11 Mar 2022 08:44 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2023 01:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/1467-8551.12469 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:184633 |