This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center based on the original study.
Dr. Katie Haejung Kim, Dr. Yan Qu, and Dr. Adam Saffer examined how information-sharing networks may impact employees’ voicing behavior (i.e., when an employee chooses to share opinions, concerns, or ideas with leaders on work-related or organizational issues aimed at fostering positive change) and subsequently their engagement with the organization. Employees’ information-sharing networks were their workplace communication networks where they exchanged organization-related information with coworkers. Four network attributes were examined in the study: size (the number of coworkers an employee exchanged organization-related information with), tie strength (the frequency which an employee interacted with coworkers in the network), diversity (the degree to which an employee’s network consisted of coworkers with different levels of positions), and friendship ratio (how many coworkers in the network were considered friends by the employee).
The researchers conducted an online survey in 2022 with 400 full-time employees working in the United States.
Key Findings
1.) Employees with larger and more diverse networks were more likely to initiate voice behavior.
2.) Employees with more frequent interactions with coworkers in their networks were more likely to initiate voice behavior.
3.) When employees perceived more of their coworkers as friends within their networks, they were more likely initiate voice behavior.
4.) The more employees engaged in voice behaviors, the more they felt engaged in the organization.
Implications for Practice
Organizations should provide employees with greater support and resources for peer networking. Some strategies to achieve this include establishing employee resource groups (ERGS), connecting employees who share common interests, and fostering connectivity within the workplace. Organizations can also implement regular mentorship programs to connect less experienced employees with more seasoned colleagues to enhance their network diversity. Lastly, organizations should make efforts to create a supportive workplace culture where employees can build friendships with coworkers.
Kim, K. H., Qu, Y., & Saffer, A. (2024). Unraveling the dynamics of employee engagement: A study of employees’ information-sharing networks and voice behavior within organizations. Journal of Public Relations Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2024.2369641
