Voices for Change: An Examination of Voice Behaviors for Social and Moral Issues

Abstract: The ways in which we discuss social and moral issues – ranging from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to organizational misconduct – shape our interpersonal relationships, our organizations, and our social worlds. The studies presented in this symposium employ diverse theoretical perspectives and methodologies to investigate the causes and consequences of voice behaviors for social and moral issues. Specifically, the first half of the presentations focus on the circumstances under which employees are more likely to speak up about social and moral issues, and the second half of the presentations consider the circumstances under which employees view themselves and others positively (or negatively) after voicing (or not voicing) their concerns related to social and moral issues. In this way, the projects collectively focus on two key stakeholders related to voice on social and moral issues — voice actors (i.e., individuals who use their voice) and voice bystanders (i.e., individuals who witness and make judgments about others who use their voice) — to uniquely advance our understanding of voice on social and moral issues. Taken together, this symposium brings novel insights to the intersection of voice and social/moral issues and appeals to a broad range of scholars, including those in the fields of conflict management, voice, morality, diversity, leadership, and teams.

Keywords: voice, morality, diversity