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To Speak or Not to Speak: A Study of Upward Critical Feedback from the Perspective of Employees in Non-Managerial Positions

Carnicero Linares, Marta LU (2024) SKOM12 20231
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
To Speak or Not to Speak: A Study of Upward Critical Feedback from the Perspective of Employees in Non-Managerial Positions. The existence of critical feedback that flows from subordinates and is directed to first-order managers constitutes an insightful source of information about potential internal issues that affect an organization’s overall outcome. Therefore, the presence of a two-way dialogue that occurs regularly and is open to managers and subordinates alike reduces the chances of an unwelcoming work environment and of high organizational turnover rates. Still, there are many reasons why employees in non-managerial positions might choose to remain silent when faced with negative emotions in the hybrid, post-pandemic era. The aim of... (More)
To Speak or Not to Speak: A Study of Upward Critical Feedback from the Perspective of Employees in Non-Managerial Positions. The existence of critical feedback that flows from subordinates and is directed to first-order managers constitutes an insightful source of information about potential internal issues that affect an organization’s overall outcome. Therefore, the presence of a two-way dialogue that occurs regularly and is open to managers and subordinates alike reduces the chances of an unwelcoming work environment and of high organizational turnover rates. Still, there are many reasons why employees in non-managerial positions might choose to remain silent when faced with negative emotions in the hybrid, post-pandemic era. The aim of this qualitative thesis is to gain more knowledge on this contemporary issue from a critical, bottom-up approach. The empirical data that this thesis builds upon constitutes of nine semi-structured interviews to Spanish lower-level employees that were explored through Stanley Deetz’s notions of Systematic Distortion of Communication and Discursive Closure. Findings revealed that virtual communication platforms have led to an increase in managerial control that limits manager-subordinate spontaneous conversations and that makes interactions one- sided and unbalanced. They also highlighted the voluntary aspect of the feedback giving process and showcase the suitability of considering the presence of upward critical feedback as an indicator of workplace democracy, making the topic open to more qualitative and quantitative research from an ampler, less explored perspective that puts employees at the center of the debate. (Less)
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author
Carnicero Linares, Marta LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
upward critical feedback, two-way communication, critical organizational theory, remote work, strategic communication, internal communication, employee voice.
language
English
id
9157958
date added to LUP
2024-07-05 11:40:54
date last changed
2024-07-05 11:40:54
@misc{9157958,
  abstract     = {{To Speak or Not to Speak: A Study of Upward Critical Feedback from the Perspective of Employees in Non-Managerial Positions. The existence of critical feedback that flows from subordinates and is directed to first-order managers constitutes an insightful source of information about potential internal issues that affect an organization’s overall outcome. Therefore, the presence of a two-way dialogue that occurs regularly and is open to managers and subordinates alike reduces the chances of an unwelcoming work environment and of high organizational turnover rates. Still, there are many reasons why employees in non-managerial positions might choose to remain silent when faced with negative emotions in the hybrid, post-pandemic era. The aim of this qualitative thesis is to gain more knowledge on this contemporary issue from a critical, bottom-up approach. The empirical data that this thesis builds upon constitutes of nine semi-structured interviews to Spanish lower-level employees that were explored through Stanley Deetz’s notions of Systematic Distortion of Communication and Discursive Closure. Findings revealed that virtual communication platforms have led to an increase in managerial control that limits manager-subordinate spontaneous conversations and that makes interactions one- sided and unbalanced. They also highlighted the voluntary aspect of the feedback giving process and showcase the suitability of considering the presence of upward critical feedback as an indicator of workplace democracy, making the topic open to more qualitative and quantitative research from an ampler, less explored perspective that puts employees at the center of the debate.}},
  author       = {{Carnicero Linares, Marta}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{To Speak or Not to Speak: A Study of Upward Critical Feedback from the Perspective of Employees in Non-Managerial Positions}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}