PROHIBITIVE VOICE IN THE WORKPLACE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ANTECEDENTS, MECHANISMS, AND OUTCOMES

Abstract

Employee voice is a widely studied topic in the organisational behaviour literature. While earlier research primarily focused on employees’ suggestions for improving existing work practices and procedures, interest in prohibitive voice—employees’ concerns about harmful practices or behaviours—grew significantly after Liang et al.’s (2012) study. Despite the substantial number of studies conducted on prohibitive voice over the past decade, no up-to-date comprehensive literature review exists. This study addresses this gap by systematically reviewing existing research on prohibitive voice using the systematic literature review (SLR) approach. Following PRISMA guidelines, we analyse 135 empirical studies published between 2012 and 2025. The findings reveal that most studies have examined antecedents, which we categorise into four groups: leadership and management characteristics, individual and relational factors, team dynamics, and organisational context. In terms of outcomes, prohibitive voice has been found to influence individual, group, and organisational-level factors. This study is the first to systematically identify, analyse, and critically evaluate existing research on prohibitive voice. It contributes to the literature by synthesising current knowledge, identifying research gaps, and outlining directions for future studies. Additionally, it offers practical implications for managerial practice and policymaking, helping managers foster conditions that encourage prohibitive voice and enabling policymakers to create psychologically safe environments where employees feel comfortable speaking up.