Social media and employee voice: a way to boost an inclusive workplace

The term ‘employee voice’ was first coined by Albert Hirschman in 1970, who was describing those who ‘suffer in silence, confident that things will soon get better’. In general, the term employee voice refers to the extent to which employees are ‘able to have a say regarding work activities and decision-making issues within the organisation in which they work’ (Wilkinson and Fay 2011). MacLeod and Clarke (2009) explain employee voice as when “employees’ views are sought out; they are listened to and see that their opinions count and make a difference. A strong sense of listening and of responsiveness permeates the organisation.”

The concept of employee voice has not a ‘static’ connotation but it has evolved alongside technological and cultural progresses. If we consider the explosion in social technologies over the last ten years, we owe to highlight these developments. Several reports have underlined how the impact of technology has intensely changed the workplace dynamics recently. In particular, one specific aspect of technology growth plays, nowadays, a key role. In fact, the use of social media has substantial implications when applied to organisations, because it is changing the way in which people interact and work and even the nature of the employment relationships. Organisations are increasingly becoming widely that social media has the potential to ‘enhance the ways in which employees work, learn, communicate and lead’ (CIPD 2012). In particular, social technologies are offering a new form of interactions, based on informal dialogues and immediate feedback.

So, how can social media enhance employee voice? I think there is basic human desire to share information with each another and a willingness to be engaged in constructive dialogues with both colleagues and managers. Social media represents, in this high tech era, on of the best solution to engage and empower employees (and their voices) within the organization.

According to Armstrong (2006), employee voice has four purposes: it helps organisations to understand the employee attitudes about work, it presents a form of collective organisation to management, it influences leaders’ decisions on work-related issues and it shows the reciprocal nature of the employment relationship.

From this perspective, I think that organizations must focalize on employee voice and the important role it has in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. In this regard, social media offer to the employees (and to the employers), the opportunity to shape a culture of diversity and an inclusive environment. Just think about the myriad of forums, blogs, websites, Facebook or Instagram pages where employees from a minority can share their daily challenges in the workplace and their opinion about it, as well.

This employees’ ability to share ideas and opinions, be involved in decisions and feel their opinion counts, is the main driver of employee engagement. This, in turn, will enforce a workplace where diversity and inclusion are the key focus, because, with a voice, employees are empowered. Regardless of age, sex, culture, ethnicity or gender, with a voice they become involved and included; part of something bigger. They have choices; to speak up and challenge, to share ideas and give opinions.

Your voice matters! Watch the interview

References:

http://www.personal.kent.edu/~swestga1/voice.pdf

https://orcinternational.co.uk/employee-engagement/employee-voice-diverse-inclusive-culture/

Armstrong, M. (2012). Armstrong's handbook of strategic human resource management. London: Kogan

http://m.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/7/6/08140-MacLeod-Clarkes-Concept-of-Employee-Engagement.pdf

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hrm.20411

https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/social-media-and-employee-voice_2013-current-landscape-sop_tcm18-10327.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adp/2018/06/22/creating-an-inclusive-workplace-for-lgbtq-employees/#bdf69a05c9de

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074959781500117X