Effective voice in medium and large organisations
The Companies Act 2006 explains how the UK defines medium and large organisations:
- a medium organisation has fewer than 250 employees and makes less than £36 million a year
- a large organisation has 250 or more employees and makes £36 million or more a year
You can also read about small and micro organisations.
To create an environment where workers feel comfortable and safe to speak out and contribute to discussions, employers can take certain steps.
Start at the top
Organisations that encourage effective voice typically promote a strong culture of openness, transparency and acceptance.
Ensuring leadership in your organisation is approachable and active within your workforce can help foster this culture – for example:
- offer leadership training to enhance open communication, active listening and constructive responses
- maintain two-way communication – for example, acknowledge feedback and act when possible
- encourage cross-team discussions to foster collaboration and break down silos
- develop employment policies that promote openness and transparency, ensuring both formal and informal feedback mechanisms are in place
It’s important to create an environment where worker contributions are recognised and celebrated, demonstrating that their voice matters.
Ask your workers what they need
Effective voice exists at both an individual and collective level. Consider your workers’ preferences for how they want to have a voice.
Individual channels
Individual channels allow you to listen to workers' voices one at a time, in contrast to a group perspective.
This form of effective voice recognises that individuals may have legitimate concerns or issues they wish to talk about. These may or may not be directly related to improving the functioning of the organisation.
Collective channels
Collective channels, that use union or non-union representatives, provide a collective voice that can complement and reinforce individual channels.
Encourage workers to communicate openly by starting with informal feedback sessions. Afterwards, you can introduce more formal structures.
Consider:
- holding regular team or organisational meetings – to encourage open and consistent dialogue
- using anonymous suggestion tools to gather candid feedback
- using surveys, pulse checks and digital tools to simplify the feedback process
Make sure to follow up on suggestions, and explain why some may not be implemented.
Choose the channels that work
Ask workers to help decide the methods for providing feedback. This ensures that they align with their preferences and comfort levels.
Create employee forums or councils
Set up representation groups or forums where employees can discuss issues, suggest improvements, and influence decision-making processes.
Conduct regular feedback and pulse surveys
Implement surveys and pulse checks to capture employee experiences, satisfaction, and areas for improvement.
Act on feedback
Show employees that you value their input by acting on feedback and sharing the outcomes with them. Explain the reasons behind your decisions to build trust.
Collaborate with trade unions and worker representatives
Work closely with trade unions to ensure collective representation and provide clear channels for employees to raise concerns.
Promote inclusivity in decision-making
Ensure all workers have opportunities to contribute their voices and influence decisions.