How responsible leadership promotes employees' promotive voice through stronger leader–follower value congruence and leader pro-voice behavior

Purpose Employees' voice can significantly facilitate companies' fuller understanding of stakeholders' needs, development of well-aligned business models and identification of varied improvement opportunities. However, little research has been conducted on responsible leadership (RL) as a driver of employees' promotive voice behavior. This study addressed the gap by examining the role of leader–follower value congruence and leader pro-voice behavior (LPVB) as sequential mediators of the relationship between RL and employees' promotive voice. Design/methodology/approach Two-wave correlational research was conducted based on surveys distributed online to 185 employees from various business sectors. Findings Multiple regression analysis confirmed that a statistically significant positive relationship exists between RL and employees' promotive voice. This connection is both direct and indirect, and it is strengthened by the sequential mediation of both leader–follower value congruence and LPVB. Employees are more likely to express their ideas in organizations with responsible leaders. Practical implications Organizations can increase employees' promotive voice by encouraging managers to integrate more RL behavior into their management style. Originality/value The findings expand the literature on RL as an enabler of employees' promotive voice behavior and provide insights into key psychosocial mechanisms that facilitate this relationship. The theoretical framework also applied signaling and social identity theory to explain the interconnections between the constructs analyzed.