Employee choice-to-voice: an IPA study exploring employees lived experiences with their supervisors.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20319849

Employees have unique experiences within their relationship with their supervisors, especially when it comes to their willingness to voice or to remain silent, as it pertains to prohibitive voice (voice with problems and dissenting views (Liang, Farh, & Farh, 2012)) and as a means to reconciling of cognitive dissonance (internal psychological consistency (Festinger, 1957)) in unethical and unfair situations with their supervisor. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand the reconciling of cognitive dissonance as it related to voicing or remaining silent, as experienced by employees in unethical and unfair situations with their supervisors. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interview protocols while being recorded on two recording devices. In addition, data were collected from field notes, memos, journaling, and analytic notes. Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1957) was the theoretical framework used for this study, to investigate followership and the cognitive dissonance employees experience in choosing to voice or remaining silent, through in-depth interviewing yielded to crucial insight into this phenomenon. The study found four major themes: Listening and Support, Negative Work Environment, Self-Image and Self-Esteem, and Morals and Ethics; plus, one minor theme: Voicing - Is It Worth It? emerged. Additional findings showed the frequency of the words "stressful" and "frustrated" used by each participant; these findings expressed how the participants were feeling about the situations they encounter with their supervisors. This study provided suggestions for future research and practice pertaining to leader-follower relationships, generational differences, and organizational voicing and silence.