Silence speaks volumes: How mental health influences employee silence at work

Silence Speaks Volumes: How Mental Health Influences Employee Silence at Work

What Happens When the Loudest Voice Falls Silent?

Isla, a vibrant and passionate individual, is known in her office as the "idea generator." She regularly participates in meetings, offers opinions, and critiques strategies that don’t align with the company’s values. However, something’s changed. Isla’s become noticeably quiet in meetings, only contributing when prompted, and has lost her sparkle. Her colleagues are left wondering: what happened to her voice?

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The Unsettling Reality of Employee Silence

While this scenario may be fictional, it’s not uncommon in the workplace. Even the most vocal employees experience phases of silence, intentionally withholding ideas, information, or concerns that could benefit them and the organization.

The Benefits of Speaking Up

Research shows that employees who speak up more frequently and effectively are evaluated as better performers and more deserving of promotion. In another study, we found that employees who are regular contributors are more likely to experience job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

The Link between Mental Health and Silence

Depression and anxiety are increasingly prevalent worldwide, with over 20% of employees reporting clinical diagnoses and up to 75% experiencing at least one symptom on the job. These mental health symptoms can impact employee silence by tapping into two main reasons individuals withhold ideas: fear of negative repercussions and the belief that speaking up won’t make a difference.

Voice Endorsement as a Potential Antidote

We explored whether certain organizational behaviors can offset this tendency to silence and identified voice endorsement as a potential solution. Voice endorsement reflects the degree to which people accept and support an employee’s ideas and concerns. We theorized that receiving endorsement would challenge the belief that speaking up is dangerous and pointless, signaling that using one’s voice is a safe and effective way to make a difference.

The Results

Our experience sampling study, where we surveyed 136 employees about their work experiences over four weeks, supported our predictions. The impact of depressive and anxious symptoms on silence was reduced during weeks in which employees experienced greater endorsement.

Implications for the Workplace

Our research demonstrates how mental health challenges can impair work engagement by fixating on the potential negative consequences of speaking up. However, simple, low-resource-intensive actions like offering encouragement when someone speaks up can counteract this cycle. This highlights the importance of developing a culture where employee input is genuinely valued, which can be as simple as leaders acting on the feedback they solicit.

Simple Actions Can Have a Lasting Impact

By checking in on someone, offering a listening ear, or pointing a colleague toward professional resources, you can have a lasting impact. These actions can help reduce feelings of isolation and increase job satisfaction.

Addressing the Stigma

When an employee is frequently silent at work, it can signal a deeper issue beyond workplace factors. By recognizing these signs and understanding their causes, organizations, colleagues, and leaders can take meaningful action.

Investing in Well-being

To address this, workplaces should prioritize mental health by providing resources, support systems, and training to counteract silence while promoting mental health and accommodating employees experiencing mental health challenges.

Conclusion

Mental health can significantly influence employee silence at work. By recognizing the signs and understanding the causes, organizations, colleagues, and leaders can take actions to reduce stigma and promote a culture where employees feel empowered to speak up.

FAQs

Q: How common is employee silence in the workplace?

A: Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon. Even the most vocal employees experience phases of silence.

Q: What are the consequences of employee silence?

A: Silence can lead to reduced job satisfaction, decreased engagement, and decreased creativity.

Q: How can I, as a colleague, support an employee experiencing mental health challenges?

A: Recognize the signs of mental health struggles, offer a listening ear, and point them toward professional resources.

Q: Can simple actions make a difference?

A: Yes, simple actions like checking in on someone, offering encouragement, or supporting a colleague can have a lasting impact.