¹Dr. Sunday Owhorji, ²Dr. Churchill Ikechukwu Akpe

¹Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University.Nkpolu-Oroworukwo Port Harcourt.

²Department Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University.Nkpolu-Oroworukwo Port Harcourt.

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i6n28

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ABSTRACT

This study examines employee voice and speaking-up behavior at Ndorama Petrochemical Company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in an effort to understand how organizational culture, leadership style, and psychological safety affect voice behavior in the company. The study adopted a mixed-method empirical approach using survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from 120 employees across operational, technical, and administrative units. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Qualitative responses were coded thematically to identify patterns. The findings reveal that 68% of employees believe speaking up improves safety and performance. However, 42% report fear of negative consequences, especially fear of job insecurity when raising concerns. The study also shows a positive correlation (r = 0.61, p < 0.01) between perceived psychological safety and employee voice frequency. The study reveals that employees who trust their supervisors are more likely to report safety hazards. In addition, the study also found leadership openness as a significant factor that predict voice behaviour (β = 0.47, p < 0.05). This research also recorded differences in departments, in that, the study reveals that operational staff were more likely to report safety concerns compared to administrative staff. The study concludes that employee voice and speaking-up behaviour at Ndorama Petrochemical Company are influenced by factors such as psychological safety, leadership openness, and organizational justice. The study, therefore, recommends strengthening anonymous reporting channels and leadership training in active listening as well as incorporating voice metrics into performance evaluation systems.

KEYWORDS:

Employee Voice, Speak-up Behaviour, Leadership Openness, Psychological Safety, Organizational Climate

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Cite this Article:Owhorji, D. S., & Akpe, D. C. I. (2026). Employee Voice and Speaking-Up Behaviour: A Case Study of Ndorama Petrochemical Company Ltd, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCHS, 5(6), 1610-1617. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i6n28

VOlUME 05 ISSUE 06 June 2026