Individual voice channels: Guide for people professionals

Employee voice is a mechanism for employees to have a say regarding issues that affect their work. It may involve a variety of channels, including formal and informal, as well as individual and collective.  

This guide provides advice on how HR professionals can maximise the impact of individual voice channels within their organisation. Individual voice channels are those that enable each employee’s voice to be listened to, rather than incorporating those individual voices into a group perspective.

This form of voice recognises that sometimes individuals have legitimate ideas, suggestions, concerns, problems or opinions about work-related issues they wish to talk about that could improve the functioning of the organisation. Some of the most common channels used by organisations to better understand and elicit individual voice are highlighted below. These include surveys, suggestions schemes and voice champions.