Silence in the workplace: what do we know from research?

Purpose The purpose of this article is to examine the antecedents and consequences of organizational silence and employee silence to determine whether these two concepts should be distinguished rather than used interchangeably in research. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a systematic literature review of 79 studies on organizational silence and 113 on employee silence, leading to three major findings. Findings First, this study shows that organizational silence is a collective phenomenon and employee silence occurs at the individual level; therefore, indicating they should be treated as two distinct concepts. Second, both types of silence are influenced by contextual factors (internal and external) and leadership. Third, organizational silence impacts both individual and organizational outcomes, whereas employee silence mainly affects an individual’s psychological health and performance. Originality/value This research clarifies the distinction between organizational silence and employee silence, offering guidance for researchers on how to approach these concepts. It also highlights the critical need to address workplace silence and the potential harm it may cause to both organizational and individual well-being if left unaddressed. Furthermore, this research supports organizational leaders and human resource developers in fostering a healthier work culture, improving performance and driving continuous improvement.