MBA Manufacturing management Supply Chain Management

Assignment-2
Name ID No.

RAM SEWAK SHARMA 2023HB79055

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MBA Business Analytics MPO Experimental Learning

Employee Voice Behaviour

Abstract
The objective of this research is to assess Employee Voice Behaviour at the workplace. Employee voice
behaviour refers to work-related attitudes and behavioural responses that involve speaking up about problems
and weaknesses at the workplace and is linked to the sustainability of organizations. We have taken a survey on
Employee Voice Behaviour with a combination of Employee and Manager/Supervisor, with a specific set of
questionnaire on different variables for Employee (Job Engagement, Leader-Member Exchange, etc.…) and
Various Voice Behaviours from Manager (Supportive, Constructive, Defensive and Destructive) with ratings on a
scale of 1 to 5. This survey has been conducted with a group of 8 members and their respective
Manager/Supervisor at the workplace.
From the collective data of 8 members, we have calculated the statistical measurements like Mean and
Probability for each Employee voice parameters rating and Manager Feedback/rating. We have set with Null
Hypothesis testing between the calculated data from Employee and Manager and selected Multiple Correlation
approach and Visualization plots to analyze the data. Correlation matrix and Plots are generated by using
Python Script.
Based on the Data analysis from multiple correlations, we will come to know which type of Voice
behaviour has more impact between Employee and Manager Relationship. This will make us understand how
much the Employee Voice is critical to the Organization development and its performance.

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Employee Voice Behaviour

1. Introduction
Workplaces are changing dynamically concerning Competition in the industry, Annual revenue/profits,
Long-term sustainability and Epidemic /Pandemic situations (for example present situation of Covid-19 effect).
Even with the change in Global workplace policies, most of the organizations need to adapt to the situations and
learn the lessons to improve the organization performance and revenue by implementing continuous
improvements like cutting costs for unwanted things, reducing the workspace with the introduction of Connecting
from home concept, Innovating new work cultures, etc. This will help the organizations to survive not only short
term but also long-term. Also, some of the external factors affecting organization performance become more
volatile due to changes in Ability to compete in the market and Changes in Regulatory policies which leads to
confusion in the Stability and Survival of Organization in the Market [1].

Organizations need to change the workplace settings as a part of Improvement and it may lead employees
to work beyond their Job descriptions and also needs to take extra responsibilities and roles, as it may be a threat
to organizational survival in the market if all the employees are just going with their job descriptions without
additional responsibilities. But we shouldn’t make decisions only based on Management opinions but also listen to
the employee’s concerns and challenges and take the proper decision and follow the strategy to improve
organization performance. It needs to be from both sides to take initiatives for changes, proactiveness in
improvements and the right opportunity for potential employees to perform their responsibilities.

So, today’s market volatility and dynamic situations in the business environment has increased the need
for proactive behaviours for organizations stability, improvement for survival, Changes in work environment and
culture and adapting to diversion and inclusion. Employee Voice Behaviour is one of the best examples of
Proactive Behaviours. Any organization will be more sustainable when the employees are highly involved in
continuous improvements and changes [2].

Voice behaviour is flexible and considered a form of proactive behaviour. Proactive behaviours are
future- oriented and additional role behaviours that help in implementing the changes. We have shown the
importance of Voice Behaviour in present Research. The current research data has survey from both Employee
and Manager with Employee Variables related to Job Engagement and Job Satisfaction concerning Voice
Behaviour feedback from Managers.

With the survey data, we have taken a Multiple correlation approach to correlate the survey results and
find out which variable strongly correlated/ not correlated which Voice behaviour.

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Employee Voice Behaviour

2. Hypothesis

Delegation can enhance subordinates' decision-making skills and feelings of being valuable and trusted
by the organization. Several benefits of supervisor delegation have been cited in the literature: higher-quality and
quicker decisions, greater commitment to the organization and increased intrinsic motivation among subordinates,
as well as better performance and job satisfaction. The delegation also decreases management overload and
enhances subordinates’ leadership skills by providing them with an opportunity to exercise their decision-making
skills. Hence, this study fills a gap in the existing research by investigating supervisor delegation’s effect on
employees’ voice behaviour. An ideal survey would result in the following considering the study variables as Job
Engagement, Leader-member exchange, Servant Leadership, Conscientiousness, Self-efficacy, Over
qualification, proactive personality and sense of belongingness

Hypothesis 1: Positive correlation between all study variables and Constructive voice behaviour

Hypothesis 2: Positive correlation between all study variables and supportive voice behaviour

Hypothesis 3: Negative correlation between all study variables and destructive voice behaviour

Hypothesis 4: Negative correlation between all study variables and defensive voice behaviour

3. Sample Characteristics
The current study’s data is multi-source, as it is taken from Managers as well as employees. Managers
were asked to rate their employee’s voice behaviour. Study responses were taken from different employees
and their Managers. The employee questionnaire accessing the Job engagement, Leader-Member Exchange,
Servant leadership, Conscientiousness, Self-efficacy, Over qualification, Proactive Personality and Sense of
organizational belongingness were asked. The Manager questionnaire asked about employees' engagement in
voice behaviour. We sent these questionnaires to 8 employees and their managers and received responses from all
the employees and their immediate managers.

To quantify the relationship between the responses of Employees and Managers we used a Pearson correlation
coefficient, which is a measure of the linear association between two variables. It has a value between -1 and 1.

3.1. Measures
The employee survey was measured with 64 items and Employee Voice Behaviour from the
manager was measured using 20 items on a 5-point response scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly
agree) was used

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Employee Voice Behaviour

4. Findings/Data analysis
Below table [Table 1] shows the Correlation between Employee Study Variables and Manager Voice
Variables. Correlation has been done using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient method [3]-[4]. From the ratings
received for each variable, we have categorized the questions into Positive and Negative. Then calculated the
Statistical measurements like Mean and Probability for each Employee voice parameters rating and Manager
Feedback/rating arrived at the below results [Refer to DataAnalysis_Group45)

Table 1: Correlation Matrix

Plot 1: 3D Bar Chart of Manager responses for each Employee

Note: The above results are visualized by scatter plots. Both correlation matrix and Scatter plots are generated by
using Python libraries Numpy, Pandas, Matplotlib [5] and Seaborn.

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Employee Voice Behaviour

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Employee Voice Behaviour

4.1. Summary of above Results

Below table [Table 2] shows the Heat Map between Employee Study Variables and Manager
Voice Variables. Assumptions made before arriving at the below conclusions are

● -1 to -0.5 is considered as a perfect negative linear correlation between the employee voice and Manager
responses.
● -0.5 to 0.5 is considered as no linear correlation between the employee voice and Manager responses and
hence considered as neutral
● 0.5 to 1 is considered as a perfect positive linear correlation between the employee voice and Manager
responses.

Table 2: Heat Map

4.1.1 Job
Engagement
Based on the correlation [Fig 1], Supportive voice is strongly correlated with Job engagement
and Neutrally correlated with other voice behaviours. It shows that employee involvement in work and
engaging with peers will be more effective when Manager is more Supportive.

4.1.2 LMX:
All managers feel that the communication between them and their team members is neither too
good nor too bad as it has a neutral correlation with all supportive, constructive and defensive voice
behaviours [Fig 2].On the other hand, it is not completely destructive too, hence, an increase in employee
engagement would help in reducing workplace conflicts thereby increasing the correlation.

4.1.3 Servant Leadership

Servant Leadership means serve the organization with a focus on employees first and helps
the employees in their development [6]. It is different to Traditional Leadership where the focus is only
on Organization growth. Here our correlation explains that Constructive Voice is Strongly correlated and
Destructive Voice is Negatively Correlated [Fig 3] [Fig 4]. This means Employee requires continuously
helping hand, guiding the right path and providing opportunities to develop the career instead of just
supporting for everything. Also, a Negative correlation explains that if Manger is too aggressive or too
defensive, it gives a negative impression for employees on the Manager, which affects productivity and
performance.

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Employee Voice Behaviour

4.1.4 Conscientiousness
Correlation [Fig 5 to Fig 8] explains that the Employee and Manager are on the same page as
Positively correlated to Supportive and Constructive Voice and Negatively correlated to Defensive and
Destructive voice. This means both Manager and Employees feel that they are well organized and
determined for the sake of long-term success.

4.1.5 Self-Efficacy:
All managers feel that their team members are not either completely efficient or completely
dependent on others as it has a neutral correlation with supportive, constructive and defensive voice
behaviours [Fig 9]. Also, it is not destructive too and is a good sign and indicates that team members are
in the process of becoming completely efficient.

4.1.6 Overqualification:
Here, there is a conflict between what team members think and what the manager thinks. It seems
some employees do feel that they are overqualified for their jobs and have skills that are more than
needed for their current job and managers are not in agreement with this as It has a negative correlation
with constructive and positive with defensive voice behaviours [Fig 10] [Fig 11].

4.1.7 Proactive:
All managers feel that their team members are not so proactive, as it has a neutral correlation
with supportive, constructive and defensive voice behaviours [Fig 12]. Also, it's not destructive too, hence
it looks like the team members are good at doing the job assigned to them but are not proactive in finding
new opportunities.

4.1.8 Sense of Organization belongings

Correlation [Fig 13] [Fig 14] result shows that employees feel that their organization is safe and
secure to work and make sure it creates an environment that the employees feel accepted as there is a
Positive correlation between Constructive Voice and Negatively correlated to Destructive Voice
behaviour.

5. Conclusion
As seen in the analysis, data brings out the below findings:

There is a positive correlation between employee Job Engagement and Supportive Voice behaviour, as
indicated by managers. Likewise, a positive correction is evident between Job Engagement and Supportive Voice
and Conscientiousness and Supportive Voice.

Managers of employees who expressed a strong sense of belongingness to the organization and Servant
Leadership have indicated that the employees have demonstrated Constructive Voice behaviour.

The conscientiousness of Employees also has a positive correlation with Constructive voice behaviour.

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Employee Voice Behaviour

Employees who are found by their managers as speaking up in a constructive and supportive manner
are more likely to be engaged with their work, have a stronger sense of belonging to the organization and
display qualities of servant leadership.

Employees who held a feeling of overqualification towards their jobs are perceived by their managers
to have taken defensive stands and did not show a supportive voice.

Those employees who expressed a high degree of Belongingness, LMX, proactiveness and Servant
Leadership have found to be neutral at Defensive voice and not participated in destructive voice behaviour,
indicating these variables have a negative correlation.

The exhibit shows that the more the employees feel they belong to
the organization, have a good employee-manager relationship and be
conscientious at their job are, the less destructive the behaviour would be
and the better support and performance they lend to the organization.

On the other hand, some findings also indicate that those

employees who are proactive and more engaged at the job did not express
constructive voice behaviour to the desired extent. However, this does not
come from a totally surprising corner in the current circumstances because there are not many opportunities for
face-to-face meetings and group forums.

A key takeaway for managers from this inference is that for organizations to succeed, Employee
Voice behaviour is an important measure for managers to gauge the extent of employee job engagement and
other key indicators like their sense of belongingness to an organization, their role and trust in senior
management, alongside due improvements in employee-manager relationship

Consequently, Managers must be on a constant lookout for situations, engage and encourage employees
to speak up in situations and express themselves. Similarly, employees must voice their feelings about their job,
role, peer-relationship and organization with their manager to help build a better organization.

A good Employee-Manager relationship can help employees voice their behaviours openly in one-to-one
meetings and other forums.

Organizational culture, social and environmental factors like remote working could limit the extent of
such opportunities hence managers must put in deliberate efforts to facilitate employee voice

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Employee Voice Behaviour

6. References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7470423/ - Employee voice behaviour as a critical
factor for organizational sustainability in the telecommunications industry by Um-e-Rubbab and Sayyed
Muhammad Mehdi Raza Naqvi, published on Sep 3, 2020.

[2] “Employee Voice Behavior during Organizational Change” by Jiseon Shin, 2013

[3] https://machinelearningmastery.com/how-to-use-correlation-to-understand-the-relationship-
between-variables/

[4] https://stackabuse.com/calculating-pearson-correlation-coefficient-in-python-with-numpy/

[5] https://matplotlib.org/stable/tutorials/introductory/pyplot.html

[6] Sendjaya, Sen; Sarros, James C. (September 2002). "Servant Leadership: Its Origin, Development, and
Application in Organizations". Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. 9 (2): 57–64

Thank you

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