Do Trust and Inclusion Matter for Employee Voice?

Abstract

Today’s business landscape is characterized by dynamism, disruption, and diversity. In an uncertain and continuously changing work environment, employee voice is critical not only for the employees themselves but also for the organization’s growth, learning, and sustainability. Further, when the organizational workforce is diverse, a mindset of inclusion and inclusive organizational practices become crucial for leveraging the benefits of diversity. Drawing on the theory of psychological safety, in this work, we investigated the impact of employees’ perception of inclusion on employee voice. Since diversity and inclusion effects are not straightforward, we further examined the role of employees’ trust in their leader to moderate the relationship between inclusion and voice. We collected survey data from 403 full-time employees working in Information Technology companies in India. The hypothesized relationships were tested using the PROCESS macro. Results indicated that employee perception of inclusion positively influenced their voice, and this relationship was strengthened when trust in the leader was high. Our quantitative work advances the existing body of diversity and inclusion literature by demonstrating the critical role of trust in leaders in helping strengthen employee voice.