[HBR Takeaways] Debunking Four Myths about Employee Silence
Harvard Business Review - June 2010
This brief explores findings by James R. Detert, Ethan R. Burris, and David H. Harrison, based on data collected from 439 full-time employees.
The authors challenge four widely held assumptions about why employees choose not to speak up, providing organizations with clearer insight into the real barriers to employee voice.
Myth 1
“Women and nonprofessional employees withhold more information than men and professional staffers because they are more concerned about consequences or more likely to see speaking up as futile.“
Reality: The study found no statistical differences based on gender, education level, or income. Withholding information is not influenced by these demographic factors.
Myth 2
“If my employees are talking openly to me, the are not holding up“
Reality: Despite appearing communicative, 42% of respondents admitted to withholding information. Their primary reasons were the belief that they had little to gain—or something to lose—by speaking up.
Myth 3
“If employees aren’t speaking up, it’s because they don’t feel safe doing so, despite all my efforts“
Reality: A quarter of respondents said they didn’t share input on routine problems or improvement opportunities because they believed it would be a waste of time—not because they feared consequences or lacked psychological safety.
Myth 4
“The only issues employees are scared to raise involve serious allegations about illegal or unethical activities“
Reality: Around 20% reported withholding small-scale, day-to-day improvement suggestions due to fear of negative consequences. This demonstrates that fear-based silence extends even to seemingly minor operational input.
Summary for Organizations
These findings highlight the disconnect between leadership assumptions and employee behavior:
Demographics don't drive silence — it's more nuanced than gender or job type.
Speaking up isn’t all or nothing — employees may still withhold important input even while appearing candid.
Perceived utility matters — if employees believe their input won’t lead to change, they’ll stay silent.
Fear impacts small things too — operational ideas often go unspoken due to fear, not just serious concerns.
Takeaway:
To foster meaningful employee voice, organizations must shift from focusing solely on safety and inclusion to also addressing perceived impact and rewards of speaking up. Encourage feedback by demonstrating action, impact, and genuine listening across all levels and topics.