Concept studied
Elaine Lin Hering studies the concept of silence and voice in the workplace. Her book Unlearning Silence focuses on why people stay silent, from where silence is learnt and how individuals and organizations can reclaim and encourage authentic voice.
Relevance for companies
Her work is beneficial to every company because silence is costly. For a long time, it has suppressed dissent, fosters conformity and undermines innovation and equity. On the other hand, raising a culture of voice would encourage employees to speak up and strengthen the decision-making process.
Findings and main results
Hering finds out that silence is often created due to upbring, culture and systemic inequities. Her central contribution is the articulation of three levers of voice:
Substance: the content or expertise an individual contributes
Relationship: the degree of trust, credibility, and social capital one holds
Process: the modes and timing of communication that shape how voice is received
Her finding highlights that voice is not simply an act but a dynamic interplay of these three factors.
Managerial implications
Managers must move beyond exhortations to “speak up” and instead design organizational environments that actively support voice. This includes creating trust-based relationships, repeatedly inviting diverse perspectives, legitimizing dissent, and rewarding contributions even when they challenge dominant views. Such practices contribute to cultures of psychological safety and reduce the organizational costs of silence.
Boundary conditions
Hering emphasizes that speaking up is not universally beneficial. Context matters: silence can be protective, strategic, or necessary in certain situations. The value of voice depends on cultural norms, power asymmetries, and the presence (or absence) of psychological safety. Thus, her framework underscores agency—the individual’s ability to intentionally choose between voice and silence, rather than being constrained by systemic or cultural pressures.
Elaine Lin Hering studies the concept of silence and voice in the workplace. Her book Unlearning Silence focuses on why people stay silent, from where silence is learnt and how individuals and organizations can reclaim and encourage authentic voice.
Relevance for companies
Her work is beneficial to every company because silence is costly. For a long time, it has suppressed dissent, fosters conformity and undermines innovation and equity. On the other hand, raising a culture of voice would encourage employees to speak up and strengthen the decision-making process.
Findings and main results
Hering finds out that silence is often created due to upbring, culture and systemic inequities. Her central contribution is the articulation of three levers of voice:
Substance: the content or expertise an individual contributes
Relationship: the degree of trust, credibility, and social capital one holds
Process: the modes and timing of communication that shape how voice is received
Her finding highlights that voice is not simply an act but a dynamic interplay of these three factors.
Managerial implications
Managers must move beyond exhortations to “speak up” and instead design organizational environments that actively support voice. This includes creating trust-based relationships, repeatedly inviting diverse perspectives, legitimizing dissent, and rewarding contributions even when they challenge dominant views. Such practices contribute to cultures of psychological safety and reduce the organizational costs of silence.
Boundary conditions
Hering emphasizes that speaking up is not universally beneficial. Context matters: silence can be protective, strategic, or necessary in certain situations. The value of voice depends on cultural norms, power asymmetries, and the presence (or absence) of psychological safety. Thus, her framework underscores agency—the individual’s ability to intentionally choose between voice and silence, rather than being constrained by systemic or cultural pressures.