Article Review: Organizational Silence

The article dubbed “Organizational Silence: A Barrier to Change and Development in a Pluralistic world” was jointly authored by Elizabeth Wolfe Morrison Frances and J Milliken. Elizabeth Wolfe Morrison Frances was born in Danbury, Connecticut and studied Psychology and later on did her postgraduate studies in Organizational behaviour. Professor Frances J. Miliken is a Professor of Management. She was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She holds a Bachelors degree in psychology and a PHD in organizational science. These two authors came up with a journal article that addresses occupational silence (Morrison, and Milliken 706-725).

Occupational silence denotes that state in which employees decide not to voice their dissatisfaction at the manner in which the management is running the affairs of their organization. The theory in this instance revolves around the effect of organizational silence in impeding organizational change and development. Organizational silence is perpetuated by employees who fear challenging managerial prerogatives and corporate policies. Additionally, certain scholars argue that organizations play a part in promoting organizational silence. These organizations are often found intolerant to employee descent (Morrison, and Milliken 706-725).

Most employees opt to keep mum or complain of the situations among themselves. This situation is not ideal because at this level, the employees cannot contribute vital input geared towards the improvement of the conditions at the organization. The authors argue that most employees find themselves in paradoxical situations where they know the truth and carry solutions to problems but they cannot voice their concerns for fear of being reprimanded or ignored altogether (Greenberg and Marissa 3).

In addition, the authors also argue that some employees opt to maintain their silence because they are oblivious of the difference that their opinion would make to the organization. Scholars of Organizational studies argue for an open vertical and horizontal communication. An open vertical communication would allow employees at the lower levels to voice their concerns and alert the management of problems noted or opportunities for improved operations. Moreover, upward information flow enhances organizational health (Greenberg and Marissa 5).

Another reason for the author’s argument against the theory of organizational silence rests in the fact that a successful organization is built around a myriad of inputs voiced in by employees of the organization. Managers are blamed for the creation of silent environment within their organizations. The authors argue that managers promote silence in their organizations because they fear negative feedback. Managers have gained notoriety of avoiding negative feedback. The authors attribute the managers’ fear of negative feedback to feelings of embarrassment, incompetence, and threat (Greenberg and Marissa 5).

The authors support their theory of organizational theory by revealing the manager’s explicit beliefs. Certain managers do not value the opinions voiced by their employees because they believe that employees are untrustworthy and self-interested. These beliefs cause managers to discourage and suppress vertical or upward communication. Another wrong belief rests in the fact that managers assume that they are always right and as thus, must always direct and control the organization, In such a setting, employees are reduced to unquestioning followers. Managers assume that the employees are effort averse and self-interested, and unlikely to care about the organization’s best interest. It is also accurate to assume that organizational health is promoted by unity and agreement where employees fear disrupting the conducive working environment. To support their arguments, the authors have used certain propositions (Morrison, and Milliken 706-725). For instance the authors argue that managers with economic backgrounds and those that have been together for long will tend to promote or enforce organizational silence. Moreover, the promotion of organizational silence will also be possible in organizations where there is either racial, ethnic, or gender disparity between top-level managers and low-level employees.

Certain practices, policies, and structures existing in organizations contribute to the prevalence of organizational silence. The management has the power of erecting structures that impede on upward information flow. The climate of silence is promoted because employees believe that voicing their opinions is either futile or dangerous. This belief is often exaggerated by the process of collective sense making among low-level employees. It is during this process that they encourage each other to maintain their silence arguing that speaking out would be either futile or dangerous(Greenberg and Marissa 8).

The theory on organizational challenge affects the organization in a big way. Firstly, organizational silence affects change and decision making processes. Quality decisions are often reached at by considering a variety of opinions. Organizational silence dissuades low-level employees from bringing their input to the decision making process and as thus the decisions made are of low quality. Further, organizational silence affects the change process because employees are not allowed to deviate or question the current system (Morrison, and Milliken 706-725). Change and innovations occur when complaints concerning current systems arise. Organizational silence has a way of blocking negative feedback thus allowing errors to go unnoticed. Employees might also manipulate output so as not to deviate from the expected output of the organization. Finally, organizational silence affects the attitudes, morale, and performance of the workers.

In conclusion, the theory of organizational silence is not a very good theory. I tend to think that the managements of organizations should allow their employees to voice their opinions in a structured way. By so doing the organization will reap the benefits of an open communication channel while at the same time evading the negative effects of maintaining organizational silence.

Work Cited

Greenberg, Jerald, and Marissa S. Edwards. Voice and Silence in Organizations. Bingley, U.K: Emerald Group Pub, 2009. Print.

Morrison, Elizabeth, and Frances Milliken. “Organizational Silence: A Barrier to Change and Development in a Pluralistc World.” Academy of Management Review. 25.40 (2000): 706-725. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.