The effects of employee voice on workplace bullying and job satisfaction: The mediating role of leader–member exchange

Abstract

Purpose

Employee voice is seen as a double-edged behavior in organizations. This study considers individuals’ evaluations of various features of their work situations. In particular, leader–member exchange (LMX) mediates the influence of voice behavior on workplace bullying and employee job satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to examine a model in which employee voice positively affects workplace bullying and job satisfaction through LMX.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 447 employer–employee dyads from a large manufacturing company and public organizations in Taiwan were surveyed. Two-wave data demonstrated a significant positive relationship between employee voice and its outcomes, mediated by LMX relationship.

Findings

The results reveal significant relationships between voice behavior and workplace bullying and between employee voice and job satisfaction. Additionally, LMX is an important mechanism in the relationships between employee voice and workplace bullying and employee voice and job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study obtained data from employer–employee dyads, practical constraints prevented complete consideration of issues in the work domain, such as colleagues, which might influence employees’ job satisfaction and workplace bullying.

Practical implications

Employee voice refers to an employee providing challenging advice to contribute to the success of an organization. Voicing employees who speak up to change the status quo and challenge the current circumstances in an organization may become the target of bullying. Therefore, it is suggested that leaders should address the advice offered by employees and provide suitable support when employee voice benefits the company.

Originality/value

The findings have implications for the understanding of employees’ conditions and its associations with social issues in the workplace.

Citation

Liang, H.-L. and Yeh, T.-K. (2020), "The effects of employee voice on workplace bullying and job satisfaction: The mediating role of leader–member exchange", Management Decision, Vol. 58 No. 3, pp. 569-582. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-01-2019-0112