The definition of employee voice can vary across different contexts. In our Talking about voice reports, we use Dromey’s definition: ‘the ability of employees to express their views, opinions, concerns and suggestions, and for these to influence decisions at work’.

Employees can have their say through individual and collective channels, by speaking directly to management or indirectly through employee representatives and trade unions. Voice can be formal, for example through consultation groups and surveys, as well as informal via team meetings or business intranets.

Effective voice is unlikely to result from any one single initiative and should involve complementary channels and be supported by leaders. Senior leaders and line managers all play an important role in encouraging employees to express themselves and speak out. People professionals have a responsibility to develop policies and practices that embed employee voice as part of the organisation’s culture and working practices.

To enable genuine two-way communication it’s important that managers listen to and act on employee voice. It’s also fundamental to ensuring job quality in the context of changing working practices.

Why is employee voice important?

There are two main purposes of voice:

1. Employee voice is a fundamental right for everyone. It allows employees to express matters that are important to them and is integral to good work.
2. Employee voice can help improve the effectiveness and performance of an organisation, by allowing employees to suggest ways to improve operations.

Although we’ve seen a  decline in trade union representation since the 1980s, collective voice can significantly influence employee engagement, and therefore remains a key mechanism of voice. Despite the general shift away from indirect and representative voice, current social and economic pressures arising from the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, is likely to increase the use of collective voice.

In 2017, the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices was commissioned by the UK government and highlighted the importance of effective worker voice for creating good work. CIPD’s Good Work Index includes employee voice as a core component to ensuring good job quality.

Other workplace trends such as remote working, increasing workforce diversity and changing employee relations are creating new challenges for individuals’ ability to have a say over their work conditions and decisions, which will evolve employee voice practices within organisations.

Social technology

The increase in remote and home working has provided new ways for people to have a voice at work. Employees are now more familiar with mobile devices, employee apps and digital meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, meaning voice is not limited to in-person, office based mechanisms.  

Organisational intranets also allow employees to communicate at a much flatter level, without hierarchical barriers meaning employees can express their views to senior leaders directly and more regularly.  These virtual networks allow workers some control over issues discussed, as well as informal networking with colleagues.

Corporate governance

The UK government’s corporate governance reform requires listed companies to ensure that employees’ interests are better represented at board level. One of the recommended options is to include an employee representative on the board. This is normal practice across Europe, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. In our response to the government, we and the High Pay Centre welcomed raising awareness of employees’ interests at board level, but acknowledge that there’s no single solution to creating meaningful employee voice. Read more on corporate governance.

Whistleblowing occurs when an individual raises concerns about a workplace danger or illegality that affects others. The disclosure may be about the alleged wrongful conduct of the employer, a colleague, client, or any third party.

In the UK, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 is a key law which protects those who ‘blow the whistle’ in the public interest. Examples include financial malpractice, criminal offences, risks to health and safety, failure to comply with a legal obligation, a miscarriage of justice and environmental damage. Workers who make a ‘protected disclosure’ can make a claim to an employment tribunal if they’re treated badly or dismissed.

Employers should have a standalone ‘speak up’ policy that’s supported by top managers and promoted effectively to the workforce. It should make clear to all staff what to do if they come across malpractice in the workplace, and encourage individuals to inform someone who is in an appropriate position in the organisation to act on the disclosure.

The policy should make clear that:

• The employer attaches great importance to identifying and remedying wrongdoing in the organisation. It should include specific examples of dangers, illegality or unacceptable behaviour.

• Staff should inform their line manager immediately if they become aware that any of the specified actions are happening, have happened or are likely to happen.

• In more serious cases, or if the allegation is about the actions of their line manager, an individual should feel able to raise it with a more senior manager, bypassing lower levels of management.

• Individuals can ask for their concerns to be treated in confidence and the employer will respect those wishes.

• Individuals won’t be penalised for informing managers about any of the specified actions.

Personal complaints such as harassment or discrimination are not usually treated as whistleblowing and should be handled according to the organisation’s grievance policy. It’s preferable to deal with whistleblowing separately because the level of risk to the organisation and to the worker will generally be significantly greater in whistleblowing cases than in other grievance matters.

A climate of open communication, supported by a clear procedure for dealing with concerns, will help reduce the risk of accusations of misconduct and illegalities, and ensure that concerns are dealt with speedily and effectively.

CIPD members can find more on the UK legal aspects, including the rules about the uncapped compensation, as well as recent and proposed changes to the law, in our Whistleblowing law Q&As. They can also use our whistleblowing advice helpline.

Contacts

Involvement and Participation Association 

GOV.UK – Whistleblowing 

Protect (formerly known as Public Concern at Work)

Books and reports

DROMEY, J. (2015) ICE and Voice 10 years on. London: IPA.

INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ETHICS. (2017) Encouraging a speak up culture. IBE Good Practice Guide. London: IBE.

JOHNSTONE, S. and ACKERS, P. (2015) Finding a voice at work? New perspectives on employment relations. Oxford: OUP.

RUCK, K. (ed) (2019) Exploring internal communication: towards informed employee voice. 4th ed. London: Routledge.

WILKINSON, A., DONAGHEY, J and DUNDON, T. (eds) (2014) Handbook of research on employee voice. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Journal articles

CAROLLO, L., GUERCI, M. and PARISI, N. (2019). There’s a price to pay in order not to have a price: whistleblowing and the employment relationship. Work, Employment and Society. pp1-11. Reviewed in Bitesize research.

ISHAM, R. (2020) Are whistleblowers adequately protected?  People Management (online). 15 January.

LI, C., LIANG, J. and FARH, J-L. (2020) Speaking up when water is murky: an uncertainty-based model linking perceived organizational politics to employee voice. Journal of Management. Vol 46, Issue 3, March. Reviewed in Bitesize research.

REITZ, M. and HIGGINS, J. (2019) Helping silenced staff find their voice at work. People Management (online). 30 July.

WILKINSON, A., KNOLL M., MOWBRAY P.K. and DUNDON, T. (2021) New Trajectories in Worker Voice: Integrating and Applying Contemporary Challenges in the Organisation of Work. British Journal of Management. Vol.32, Issue 3, pp693-707.

CIPD members can use our online journals to find articles from over 300 journal titles relevant to HR.

Members and People Management subscribers can see articles on the People Management website.