Does LMX always promote employee voice?:A dark side of migrant working in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Purpose: Drawing on the self-consistency theory, we tested a model where employees’ supervisor-based self-esteem (SBSE) is positively related to their promotive and prohibitive voice and mediates the positive relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison (LMXSC) and an employee’s promotive and prohibitive voice, but only for local rather than migrant workers. Design/Methodology: To test our hypotheses, multi-source data were collected from 341 matched supervisor-supervisee dyads working in a diverse range of organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Findings: As predicted, employees’ SBSE is positively related to their promotive and prohibitive voice and mediates a positive relationship between their LMXSC and their promotive and prohibitive voice, but only for local workers. Our findings provide support for our self-consistency theory perspective on LMX, and new insight into the ‘dark side’ of migrant working – a lack of voice. Originality: Our study responds to calls for more research that explores the roles played by macro-environmental factors on employees’ voice. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.