When and why are employees willing to engage in voice behavior: a power cognition perspective

Abstract

Previous studies have found that sense of power is an important predictor of employee voice; however, the mechanism underlying the relationship between these factors remains unclear. To explore this mechanism, 642 valid questionnaires from 45 enterprises were used to conduct an empirical test based on the approach–inhibition theory of power. The results showed that sense of power can affect error risk taking positively, error risk taking mediates the relationship between sense of power and employee voice; and power congruence moderates both the direct relationship between sense of power and employee voice and their indirect relationship via error risk taking. This study thus provides a useful reference for improving employees’ enthusiasm for voice behavior and can help enhance the competitiveness of enterprises.