Evaluation of the dimensionality of the employee silence measurement scale: Discrimination issues between fear and resignation

Abstract

This study addresses the phenomenon of employee silence, defined as the voluntary withholding of suggestions or warnings about the organization. Despite theoretical consensus on the conceptualization of employee silence, the empirical validity and dimensionality of this construct remain subjects of debate. This study aims to evaluate the discriminant validity of the dimensions of employee silence, specifically between the constructs known as resignation silence and defensive silence, using the scale by Knoll, et al. [1] recognized for its international use and validation in multiple languages. The research was conducted with a sample of 109 Spanish-speaking respondents in Chile, using reliability analysis via Cronbach's Alpha and Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the multidimensional structure of the scale. The results reveal that, although the scale demonstrates good reliability, there are issues with discriminant validity between the dimensions of resignation silence and defensive silence. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggest that these two constructs overlap, leading to the creation of a new dimension termed resignation and fear silence. Finally, the study proposes a three-dimension solution for the silence behavior scale: a) prosocial silence; b) opportunistic silence; and c) resignation and fear silence. The study concludes with the need for further theoretical and empirical exploration to improve the understanding and measurement of the phenomenon of employee silence in organizations.