Breaking the silence: Unraveling the hidden impact of workplace incivility on employee silence through role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion

This study investigates the complex relationship between perceived workplace incivility and employee silence, with an emphasis on the mediating roles of role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion, framed within the context of the Spiral of Silence Theory. Drawing on data from 200 employees across various sectors in India, collected via a time-lagged design, the study conducted stratified random sampling. Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) using SPSS AMOS 20.0 was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings revealed that perceived workplace incivility significantly increases role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion at the workplace, both of which contribute to greater employee silence. Furthermore, role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion partially mediated the relationship between workplace incivility and employee silence, amplifying the “spiral of silence” effect in hostile work environments. This study pioneers the exploration of the underlying mechanisms driving employee silence in response to workplace incivility, offering valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for promoting open communication and psychological safety in organizational settings.