Deeds speak louder than words: Employees' responses to supervisors' word-oriented and deed-oriented voice endorsement

Integrating the voice endorsement literature and behavioral integrity theory, this research first advances the constructs and develops the scales for supervisors' word-oriented and deed-oriented voice endorsement in Study 1. In Study 2, we examine how supervisors' word-oriented and deed-oriented voice endorsement influence employee voice behavior. Results from a four-wave field study demonstrate that supervisors' word-oriented voice endorsement is negatively related to perceived supervisor behavioral integrity, whereas supervisors' deed-oriented voice endorsement is positively related to perceived supervisor behavioral integrity. Perceived supervisor behavioral integrity enhances employees' willingness to discuss ideas and ultimately promotes their voice behavior. In addition, a higher (versus lower) level of explanation providing weakens the negative impact of supervisors' word-oriented voice endorsement and strengthens the positive impact of supervisors' deed-oriented voice endorsement on perceived supervisor behavioral integrity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.