For years, research
on employee silence has painted a familiar picture: dysfunctional relationships
stifle voices, preventing employees from speaking up (Greenberg & Edwards,
2009; Morrison, 2014). While this remains true, our study challenges the
simplicity of this assumption. We explore how group cohesion—a key indicator of
interpersonal relationship quality—doesn’t follow a linear path when it comes
to silence. Instead, the relationship bends and twists, forming a curvilinear
pattern that depends on one crucial factor: proactive personality. Drawing from
data collected in a health insurance firm, we reveal a striking dynamic. Silence
thrives at both ends of the cohesion spectrum for those with a low proactive
personality. Whether relationships are weak or intensely strong, these
individuals withdraw, speaking up only at moderate levels of cohesion. But for
those that score high in proactive personality, the story flips. These
employees find their voices in both extremes, quieting only when relationships
settle into a moderate, unremarkable state. These findings challenge the
traditional belief that positive relationships always suppress silence while
negative ones always fuel it. The paper reveals a more complex truth where the
nuances of personality transform how individuals navigate the social fabric of
their workplace, proving that silence is not merely a symptom of dysfunction
but a reflection of deeper psychological currents.
