Title: An empirical study of the determinants of employee silence among Generation Z

Authors: Chew Sze Cheah; Kwang Wei Charn; Cheng Ling Tan; Afandi Yusof

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, Glugor, Penang, Malaysia; Department of Information Technology and Management, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh ' Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia

Abstract: There has been an increasing interest in employee silence over the past ten years. Previous research indicates that employee silence negatively affects employee performance, trust, motivation, and morale. Therefore, investigating the underlying factors that affect employee silence among Generation Z is the aim of this study. A non-probability purposive sampling method was employed in this study and the online questionnaires were distributed to 150 respondents aged between 16 and 24 years old. Smart PLS software was used to analyse the gathered data in the measurement model and structural model. The findings indicated that abusive supervision and implicit belief positively influence employee silence while locus of control negatively influences employee silence. However, power distance culture failed to influence employee silence among Generation Z in this study. This study can assist managers and organisations in better understanding their next-generation workforce and preparing them for future management positions.

Keywords: employee silence; Generation Z; abusive supervision; implicit belief; locus of control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2025.148834

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2025 Vol.52 No.1, pp.106 - 126

Received: 20 Nov 2022
Accepted: 03 Aug 2023
Published online: 29 Sep 2025 *

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