Determinants of employee-prohibitive voice behavior : mediating role of psychological safety

The study of the determinants of employee-prohibitive voice behavior, a relatively new area of research, has recently gained significant attention. Psychological safety has emerged as a crucial mediating factor in this context. In contrast to its counterpart, employee promotive voice, prohibitive voice behavior is regarded as hostile and potentially destructive, making it a riskier approach. Prohibitive voice behavior refers to employees raising concerns about current or anticipated actions, events, or behaviors that could harm the organization’s well-being. Leadership typically views employee promotive voice behavior as positive and constructive, often resulting in favorable evaluations, whereas negative evaluations are generally given for prohibitive voice behavior. The study also assessed the role of employee exchange, challenging the traditional leader-member exchange (LMX) framework. Consequently, many employees refrain from engaging in prohibitive voice behavior, which may deprive the organization of critical observations and opportunities to prevent harm. Examining employee-prohibitive voice behavior and its influencing factors is essential for expanding the concept of employee voice. This study aimed to identify the variables influencing employees’ prohibitive voice behavior and assess how their exchanges and organizational culture directly and indirectly impact this behavior. This cross-sectional study employed a positivist research approach to explore the factors affecting the prohibitive voice behavior of academics, support staff, and administrators at private and public universities in Malawi. Ultimately, the research examined how psychological safety and employee exchange may mediate the relationship between organizational culture and prohibitive voice behavior. An online survey was distributed to faculty, support staff, and administrators across 28 public and private accredited universities in Malawi. Structural equation modeling, utilized through AMOS, was employed to analyse data from 382 valid cases. This method yielded a robust model that significantly deepened our understanding of employee voice dynamics, particularly the mediating mechanisms influencing prohibitive voice behavior. In alignment with the research objectives, utilising the final model and consistent with the data, organizational culture indirectly influenced prohibitive voice behavior (indirect β = .63, p < .01) through employee exchange and psychological safety. Organizational culture demonstrated a powerful direct effect on psychological safety (β = .94, p < .01) and a substantial direct impact on employee exchange (β = .66, p < .01). Psychological safety showed moderate direct effects on both employee exchange (β = .32, p < .01), and prohibitive voice behavior (β = .36, p < .05). Surprisingly, employee exchange had the most substantial direct effect on prohibitive voice behavior (β = .53, p < .01). The final model demonstrated an excellent predictive power, accounting for 76% of the variation in prohibitive voice behavior (R2 = .76). These findings indicate that the prevailing organizational culture plays a significant role in fostering a psychologically secure environment and promotes healthy employee exchanges. This environment allows employees to express their ideas and concerns openly, enabling university workers in Malawi to voice their issues without fear of repercussions. The study proposes a concise model of prohibitive voice behavior and offers actionable recommendations for universities, industries, policymakers, and scholars. It provides insights into fostering a culture of open communication, participation, peer collaboration, institutionalizing voice mechanisms, and constructive feedback in the workplace. The findings are significant for organizations, particularly in higher education and their employees. It emphasizes that creating a safe work environment through amicable worker interactions and a favorable organizational culture enables employees to engage in prohibitive voice behaviors, thereby protecting the organization from harmful acts. Future research should explore cross-cultural variations, longitudinal effects, and practical interventions to strengthen prohibitive voice behavior across sectors. This research contributes to the organizational behavior literature by emphasizing horizontal dynamics in employee voice and advocating for psychologically safe workplaces.