The role of peer‐to‐peer voice in severe work environments: organisational facilitators and barriers
Rebecca Loudoun, Keith Townsend, Adrian Wilkinson, Paula K. Mowbray
Abstract
Abstract Encouraging and facilitating employee voice among frontline employees is important in organisations to draw out problems and issues that can potentially be addressed and mitigated by organisational policies and practices. Using Conservation of Resources theory, this study focuses on paramedics and the formal and informal voice mechanisms used to safeguard their well‐being. We observe that paramedics are often unwilling to use formal support mechanisms, at least in the first instance immediately following exposure to a traumatic event, but they see informal peer‐to‐peer voice as critical in preventing resource loss and regaining resources for subsequent call‐outs. We also found that without an awareness of the importance of this support mechanism, changes in work organisation can unintentionally and unknowingly limit their capacity to engage in this form of support. Losing peer‐to‐peer voice can lead to the build‐up of stress that could otherwise be mitigated, resulting in diminished well‐being.