Role of authentic leadership in enhancing employees' voice behavior through psychological capital during COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: Considering the importance of employees' voice behavior (VB) and psychological capital (PC) amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this study highlights the role of authentic leadership (AL) in building a psychologically strong workforce that can provide meaningful suggestions for the improvement of organization. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a questionnaire survey to collect the data and recruited 261 participants from the telecom sector Sindh, Pakistan. The data analysis was done using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The findings of the study supported the hypotheses suggesting that AL can directly influence employees' VB and indirectly via PC. Originality/value: The study was conducted during the COVID-19 in the telecom sector of Sindh, Pakistan. This study contributes by providing useful insights into that AL is an important form of leadership that encourages employees' voluntary behavior and psychological strength during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Organizational adaptation to working from home in a crisis situation (COVID-19): the interaction between leaders' openness and followers' voice.

Introduction: We investigated the effect of time spent at home on employee voice behavior and leadership openness during Covid 19. According to DeRue's adaptive leadership theory which offers an interactionist perspective to explain adaptive organizational behavior during an environmental crisis, we proposed that in the WFH's (work from home) reduced and limited communication space, leaders, who need more feedback, will encourage employees to express their opinions and will show more willingness to listen to them. Meanwhile, employees will ask more questions and make more suggestions to alleviate uncertainty and misunderstanding. Methods: Using an online questionnaire, a cross-sectional study (N = 424) has been carried out with employees working from home for a different amount of their working time during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using structural equation models (SEM) in which the effect of leadership openness on employee voice behavior was assessed through the mediation of affective commitment, psychological safety, and intrinsic motivation. Results: The results showed that in the WFH situation, time spent in home office had a low but significant direct negative effect on promotive voice behavior. At the same time, leadership openness was growing with the amount of time spent at home. Leadership openness counteracted the negative effect of WFH on voice behavior: although leadership openness did not have a direct significant effect on voice behavior, it had a positive effect on psychological safety and work motivation which, in turn, influenced positively both promotive and prohibitive voice behavior. Employee's voice, for its part, further augmented leadership openness. Discussion: In our research we could demonstrate the contingent nature and the mutual influence patterns and feedback loops of leaders-employees exchange. In the WFH situation the openness of the leader is growing with the amount of time spent at home and with the amount of promotive voice manifested by the employee. In consent with DeRue social interactionist adaptive leadership theory, a mutually reinforcing process of leadership openness and employee voice could be demonstrated. We argue that leadership openness is a key factor to motivate employee voice behavior during WFH.

Employee voice behavior and perceived control: Does remote work environment matter?

Important outcomes of perceived control and employee voice behavior include employee-driven innovation, increased productivity, and job satisfaction;therefore, it is essential to study if there is a difference in a remote versus an in-person work environment. The 81 participants in this study were employees at a public utilities department in a local municipal government that had worked both remotely and in-person during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. This research also looked at the role communication modalities played for both in-person and remote work scenarios. Although these employees indicated there was no difference in perceived control and employee voice. This study's data suggests that voice behavior and perceived control are stable attitudes that are not impacted by the move from in-person to remote work. As more employees press for remote work arrangements, these data indicate that managers should not expect voice or perceived control to be impacted (negatively or positively) when employees work remotely. These participants indicated both Zoom staff meetings and Zoom one-to-one meetings with their supervisor were important, however, only Zoom one-to-one meetings with the supervisor were indicated to be satisfactory, which is not surprising during a time of social isolation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The effect of perceived organizational support on the prohibitive voice behavior of knowledgeable talents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring moderating role of the digitalization level.

This study focuses on the effect of perceived organizational support on the prohibitive voice of knowledgeable talents and on the factors influencing that voice during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Grounding our research in social exchange theory and the Chinese sociocultural background, we collected data from 714 questionnaires from universities in Zhejiang Province and analysize by linear regression and found, first, that perceived organizational support significantly increased the prohibitive voice of knowledgeable talents and, second, that in the relationship between perceived organizational support and the prohibitive voice of those talents, the level of digitalization level of an organization has a positive the effect of perceived organizational support on prohibitive voice behavior. This study enriches the theory of voice behavior, helps universities understand the behavioral patterns of knowledgeable talents and guides the cultivation of an atmosphere with prohibitive voice behavior.

Providing Solution in an Emergency: COVID-19 and Voice Behavior of Healthcare Professionals.

This study investigates the mechanism between idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) and voice behavior, considering display aggression and deontic justice as mediating variables. We collected data from 702 nurses and their immediate supervisors who work with COVID-19 patients through survey questionnaires at two different times, and we analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM). We found that I-deals are significantly associated with deontic justice and voice behavior. Moreover, I-deals are significant but negatively associated with displayed aggression, which is significant and negatively associated with voice behavior. In addition, deontic justice and display aggression mediate the association between I-deals and voice behavior. These findings suggest that the hospitals' top management should provide I-deals to nurses to improve their voice behavior.

Exploring the Role of Levers of Control in a Work Environment That Supports Innovative Behavior (An Empirical Study at PT. SEMB)

This study aims to describe and analyze how controls in the form of belief systems, boundary systems, diagnostic systems, and interactive systems can build a work atmosphere that supports employee innovation. The research method used in this research is a qualitative method with a case study approach. This approach was chosen to provide best practice (best practice) for other companies/organizations. Linear and hierarchical approaches are used in this study as data analysis techniques built from the ground up. The results of interviews with 9 (nine) informants consisting of management lines and employees of PT SEMB show that belief systems, boundary systems, diagnostic systems, and an interactive system can build a work atmosphere that supports innovation involving the employees. In addition, the company also has several media/channels for employees to directly involve in the innovation initiation process, namely voice behavior. This study only uses interview method and not observation due to COVID-19. This research describes how a conducive working culture in a company can motivate the creativity and participative behavior from employee, thus allowing the quick growth of company due to the innovations created, moreover in the rapidly changing industries. This study also shows that investment on ideas and the open communication room within employees directs employees to be creative, ingenious, and driven. The company is then to behave as a united organization that works together to pursue company's objective from each role. © 2022, SRAC - Romanian Society for Quality. All rights reserved.

Job insecurity and employees' safety voice behavior – a managerial dilemma caused by COVID-19

Purpose>The world is witnessing enormous changes due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic. One of the unkind changes is the increased downsizing and layoffs, which has led to a situation of job insecurity. Moreover, due to the unavailability of a cure for the pandemic, the businesses have started their operations with added safety measures that demand a high level of employee safety behavior. But how job insecurity and safety voice may stay in one sheath is an area that requires attention. Hence, this study investigates the impact of job insecurity on employees' safety voice behavior in a COVID-19 outbreak, through serial mediation mechanisms of organizational support and trust.Design/methodology/approach>Data has been collected through a structured questionnaire from the sample (N = 213) of employees of service organizations.Findings>Findings of the study reveal that job insecurity is not directly linked with safety voice behavior, and therefore full mediation through perceived organizational support and trust is supported is proved.Originality/value>This study covers the investigation of job insecurity, during pandemic COVID-19, and its effects on safety voice. It also explains the mechanism between the variables of interest through perceived organizational support and trust in the organization. The study is a timely contribution to the existing literature and offers both theoretical and managerial implications.