To better understand why some employees keep silent and explore how organizations can best intervene, Odette School of Business management professor Kyle Brykman and Dalhousie University management professor Anika Cloutier explored how fluctuations in mental health relate to fluctuations in employee silence.

“Even the most vocal employees experience phases of silence,” they write in an article published last week in the Conversation, “intentionally withholding ideas, information, or concerns that could otherwise benefit them and their organization.”

To better understand the impact of mental health and ways to decrease employee silence, they conducted a survey of 136 employees about their work experiences across four weeks. The results provided a road map for workplaces to help encourage silent employees to speak up.

To learn about the results of Brykman and Cloutier’s research, read their article “Silence speaks volumes: How mental health influences employee silence at work” in the Conversation.