The influence of developmental feedback on voice: The mediating role of organisation-based self-esteem

We investigated the extent to which receiving developmental feedback from the work supervisor increased employee confidence to be proactive in expressing promotive voice (e.g., offering advice) and prohibitive voice (e.g., point out problems or criticising), and the employee organisation-based self-esteem mediation in that relationship. Our study sample consisted of 258 employees (female = 41.96%; mean age = 7.94 years, SD = 33.65 years, age range = 19 to 53 years) from a large Chinese manufacturing enterprise. Following hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap analysis, results indicated supervisor developmental feedback was positively related to employee organisation-based self-esteem, promotive, and prohibitive voice. Organisation-based self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between supervisor developmental feedback and employee promotive and prohibitive voice. Our results suggest supervisors should provide their direct employees with developmental feedback to increase employee organisation-based self-esteem, and ultimately promote employee promotive and prohibitive voice.