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Exploring the Work-Life Spillover of Voice Practices: The Role of Voice Instrumentality in Improving the Quality of Employees’ Lives

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Abstract

Drawing on employee voice and spillover theory, this study investigates whether and how the degree and the effectiveness of organizational voice practices (i.e., voice opportunity and voice instrumentality) affect employee life not only at work (i.e., job satisfaction) but also outside the workplace (i.e., life satisfaction, perceived ability to influence society, and health). The results of an analysis of 1,509 employees in Korea show support for the positive effects of both voice opportunity and instrumentality on job satisfaction. However, voice instrumentality was found to have more significant and positive effects on employees’ non-work outcomes. The study also demonstrated that employees of companies with high voice instrumentality as well as voice opportunity were more satisfied with their work and daily lives, which remained consistently significant in the following year. This study responds to recent human resource management and quality of life scholars’ calls for uncovering whether the micro-level processes of employees’ experiences related to the voice system can “spill over” from the organizational domain to the non-work domain and how the instrumental aspect of the voice system improves employees’ quality of life.

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Data Availability

These data were derived from the following resources available in the public domain: https://www.kli.re.kr/klips_eng/contents.do?key=251.

Notes

  1. For more information, please visit this website: https://www.kli.re.kr/klips_eng/contents.do?key=251.

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Funding

This work was supported by Kyonggi University Research Grant 2020.

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  1. Department of Business Administration, Kyonggi University, 154-42, Kwanggyosan-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

    Jeong Won Lee

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Lee, J. Exploring the Work-Life Spillover of Voice Practices: The Role of Voice Instrumentality in Improving the Quality of Employees’ Lives. Applied Research Quality Life 18, 2011–2033 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-023-10175-y

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