Employee voice

The definition of employee voice can vary by context. In our employee voice case studies, 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 share their views individually or collectively, directly with management or indirectly through employee representatives and trade unions. Voice may occur formally (for example, consultation groups and surveys) or informally via team meetings or business intranets.

A single initiative is rarely sufficient. Effective voice depends on complementary channels supported by leadership. Senior leaders and line managers play key roles in encouraging employees to speak out. People professionals have a responsibility to embed employee voice into organisational, people policies and working practices.

Genuine two-way communication requires managers to listen to and act on feedback. This is also essential for 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. It allows employees to express matters that are important to them and is integral to good work.
2. Organisational effectiveness. Voice can help improve performance by allowing employees to share ideas and identify solutions.

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. However, the opportunity to use collective voice to improve working relationships is currently being missed: our Good Work Index report illustrates that collective voice channels are used far less frequently than individual forms of voice. Our recent report on collective voice highlights its role in not only complimenting and reinforcing individual voice channels, but boosting employee engagement and, in turn, performance. Given the current social and economic pressures arising from the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, employers would do well to tap into the potential of collective voice in the workplace.

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 one of seven dimensions key 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.

See our guide for more information on technology use in employee voice.

Contacts

Involvement and Participation Association 

GOV.UK – Whistleblowing 

Protect (formerly known as Public Concern at Work)

Books and reports

Ajibade Adisa, T., Mordi, C. and Oruh, E. (eds.) (2023) Employee voice in the global north: insights from Europe, North America and Australia. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ajibade Adisa, T., Mordi, C. and Oruh, E. (eds.) (2023) Employee voice in the global south: insights from Asia, Africa and South America. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. 

Prouska, R,, Psychogios, A. and McKearney, A (eds.) (in press). Inclusive leadership and employee voice: fostering an open organisational culture. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ruck, K. and Flegg, M. (2026) Exploring internal communication: towards dialogue in the workplace. 54th ed. London: Routledge.

Wilkinson, A., Donaghey, J and Dundon, T. (eds) (2020) Handbook of research on employee voice. 2nd ed. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Journal articles

Alang, T., Stanton, P. and Rose, M. (2022) Enhancing employee voice and inclusion through inclusive leadership in public sector organizations. Public Personnel Management. Vol 51, Issue 3, pp309-329. 

Barry, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2022) Employee voice, psychologisation and human resource management (HRM). Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 32, No 3, pp631-646.

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.

Jebsen, S., Rohlfer, S. and Matiaske,W. (2022) Employee voice and the digitalisation of work. Management Revue. Vol 33, Issue 3, pp209-212.

Jirjahn, U., Laible, M.C. and Mohrenweiser, J. (2024). Management practices and productivity: Does employee representation play a moderating role?  Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 34, No 1, pp 236–254.  Reviewed in Bitesize Research.

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, No 3, March. Reviewed in Bitesize research.

Mazzei, A. Ravazzani, S., Butera, A. and Fisichella, C. (2025). Do you dare to speak up at work? A study on organizational conditions enabling or discouraging employee voice. Journal of Public Relations Research. Vol 37, Nos 1-2, pp115-134.

Mowbray, P.K., Wilkinson, A. and Tse, H.H.M. (2022) Strategic or silencing? Line managers’ repurposing of employee voice mechanisms for high performance. British Journal of Management. Vol 33, Issue 2, pp1054-1070.

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

Shipton, H., Kougiannou, N., Minbashian, A., Do, H., Pautz, N. and King, D. (2023) Organisational voice and employee-focused voice: Two distinct voice forms and their effects on burnout and innovative behavior. Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 34, No 1, pp 177-196. Reviewed in Bitesize Research, 23 November 2023.

Starzyk, A. and Bauer, J.F. (2025). Three dilemmas of disabled employee voice. Journal of Business Ethics. Vol 201, No 4, pp941-967.

Townsend, K., Wilkinson, A., Dundon, T. and Mowbray, P.K. (2022) Tracking employee voice: developing the concept of voice pathways. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. Vol 60, No 2, pp283-304

Wang, H.K. and Yen, Y.F. (2023) How the organizational ethical climate accounts for employee voice behavior: a multilevel analysis. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. Vol 61, No 1, pp124-145.

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.