Significance of Employee Silence
Alice Tutunjian
You probably attended or officiated a one-on-one or group meeting in which employees were silent, one in which the best response offered was a fake smile with a follow up of “no, I have nothing to say,” or a simple “no” headshake when asked if anyone has a question or anything to offer.
Sometimes leaders are naïve or kid themselves when they interpret the silence as everything being fine. Worse, when leaders accept the silence as agreement. On the contrary, silence can just be a cover-up for many other underlying causes.
Let’s examine some of the reasons employees remain silent:
They are truly not interested in offering any responses; as far as they are concerned, everything is fine
They just simply don’t care
They are purposefully being silent to upset the manager or others
They are withholding information intentionally
They are afraid to speak up because they will seem/sound dumb
They are afraid of retaliation – past experience has taught them not to speak up
They are angry and holding back emotions
They are disillusioned with management because of prior actions/decisions or lack of actions
They feel that choosing silence is safer than speaking up. Perhaps they don’t want to be perceived as being negative or believe that nothing will be done anyway so why bother
Consequences of silence can be devastating for organizations as well as personally for leaders. Employee silence can cause a decrease in productivity and innovation; it can trigger low morale, create poor relationships between staff and management, and increase employee turnover. Certainly for leaders, it can increase frustration, stress, and overall job dissatisfaction.
So, how can you turn it around?
Recognize that employees may have fears. Address the fears in the open, and let them know that their contributions are vital to the success of the company
Celebrate contributions in the open by sharing with the team or department
Acknowledge and reward the contributions. If an employee’s suggestion leads to an improvement, for example, then provide the employee with a gift card or small token of appreciation. Acknowledge and praise ideas in public
Provide constructive feedback. If an employee makes a suggestion that is not appropriate or ineffective, don’t brush off the person. Explain why you cannot take the suggestion at this time
Stay true to your word and work on building trust
Act on suggestions if they are appropriate. Lack of action can increase dissatisfaction
Links to Good Reads on Employee Silence
The Dangers of Employee Silence by Darcy Jacobsen
Employment Writer Darcy Jacobsen provides a chart that illustrates “variables that can motivate or inhibit employees from speaking up” . . . read more
The Disturbing Significance of Employee Silence by Katy B. Olson
Writer Katy B. Olson affirms, “The problem of silence is a prevalent one: Employees at every level are aware of problems, inefficient systems, inappropriate behavior or actions, and positive opportunities for growth, yet they don’t always address these concerns and suggestions with someone in a position to take action. Simply put, employees don’t use their voice.” Learn about five ways in which employers can encourage employee communication . . . read more
The Silent Treatment: Encouraging Employees to Speak Up by Eric Friedman
Encouraging employees to speak up in the workplace is critical. Writer Eric Friedman shares, “When you have a strong company culture that values communication, employees will identify with that common culture and feel more inspired to make a positive difference. This will motivate them to share their opinions about the company because they truly care about its future success. Once current employees get on board—and especially new employees who come in fresh to the company culture—you will have a workforce that is conditioned to speak up and feel like they’re part of something bigger.” . . . read more