Emuemukoro, C.
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of dministration, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Email:chris.emuemukoro@oceanklass.com
ABSTRACT
Employee voice is central to effective organizational management, especially in high-risk industries like oil and gas, where innovation, engagement, and safety are critical. The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the relationship between workplace autonomy and employee voice in listed oil and gas companies in South-South, Nigeria. The predictor variable was workplace autonomy, while the criterion variable was employee voice, measured in terms of frequency voice, proactive voice, and efficacy voice. The study was guided by three specific objectives, research questions, and hypotheses. Three baseline theories underpinned the study: Social Exchange Theory, Self-Determination Theory, and Justice Theory. The study adopted a triangulation approach blending positivist and interpretivist philosophies, employing a descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional research design. The population comprised 15,234 employees across nine listed oil and gas firms, with a stratified random sample of 390 participants selected using the Taro Yamane formula. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Findings revealed very strong positive relationships between workplace autonomy and all dimensions of employee voice (frequency: r = 0.874; proactive: r = 0.824; efficacy: r = 0.947), all statistically significant (p < 0.005). The study concluded that fostering workplace autonomy significantly enhances employee voice, recommending greater empowerment, leadership training, and supportive policies to improve on workplace autonomy, and intern enance employee voice.
Keywords: Workplace autonomy, employee voice, frequency voice, proactive voice, and efficacy voice.
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