The effects of employee voice on workplace bullying and job satisfaction The mediating role of leader-member exchange

Purpose Employee voice is seen as a double-edged behavior in organizations. This study considers individuals' evaluations of various features of their work situations. In particular, leader-member exchange (LMX) mediates the influence of voice behavior on workplace bullying and employee job satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to examine a model in which employee voice positively affects workplace bullying and job satisfaction through LMX. Design/methodology/approach A total of 447 employer-employee dyads from a large manufacturing company and public organizations in Taiwan were surveyed. Two-wave data demonstrated a significant positive relationship between employee voice and its outcomes, mediated by LMX relationship. Findings The results reveal significant relationships between voice behavior and workplace bullying and between employee voice and job satisfaction. Additionally, LMX is an important mechanism in the relationships between employee voice and workplace bullying and employee voice and job satisfaction. Originality/value The findings have implications for the understanding of employees' conditions and its associations with social issues in the workplace.