The phenomenon of employee silence, in which employees withhold information that could be construed as negative or threatening to their superiors, was brought to light in a landmark study* on the topic.

This verbatim quote from the study captures the visceral fear that can prevent employees from speaking up.

“I raised a concern about some policies, and I was told to shut up and that I was becoming a troublemaker. I would have pursued [the issue] further but presently I can’t afford to risk my job. This has made me go into a detached mode, making me a ‘yes man’.”

While this example may seem extreme, the lack of psychological safety for employees in many workplaces — the belief that they will be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes — gives rise to an insidious problem.

In the study, 85% of employees reported feeling unable to raise an issue or concern with their bosses even though they knew the issue was important. While the 85% figure is shocking, what sticks out is that employees will keep silent on topics they know to be important.

This reticence about speaking up goes some way towards explaining the Boeing 737 Max disaster. The US Congress investigation into Boeing’s misconduct gained access to internal emails and instant messages that revealed employees’ rampant concerns about the Max during its development. However, none of these employees took the step of sharing their concerns with senior management.

At the very least, this reluctance to speak up can undermine the efficacy of organisational decision-making. Taken to its extreme, this phenomenon can threaten the organisation's very existence.

To overcome this issue, Newlens Research operates psychologically safe research spaces that guarantee employees’ anonymity. This frees them to share their opinions openly, honestly, and without fear of repercussions, allowing us to deliver senior executives the unvarnished truth.

If you want to know more about how our unique approach to listening can help you get the insights you need to shape your strategies and inform decisions, don’t hesitate to contact David Croston at Newlens Research.

*Milliken, Morrison, and Hewlin (2003). An Exploratory Study of Employee Silence.

Employee listening for leaders™