Voicing an identity: Unpacking the identity sources of member voicing

Abstract

The communication of nonnominated members who voluntarily disseminate organization-supportive messages on their social media platforms has become a central topic in the field of public relations. While such ‘member voicing’ is generally encouraged, management often struggle to prevent unfavorable representations. Previous studies have demonstrated an extensive use of explicit control practices, including strict social media policies, but has paid little attention to less obtrusive forms of control. This conceptual article argues that unobtrusive forms of control play a significant role in shaping member voicing. Specifically, member voicing is discussed as a specific type of identity performance where members enact values and desires to present a situationally relevant identity. In voicing their organization, members are argued to draw on identity material from three partly overlapping sources: (1) values fabricated and imposed by management, (2) (social) identities desired by members themselves (‘who they want to be’), and (3) conduct expected and celebrated by peers (e.g. colleagues). The identity performance of member voicing, thus, is permeated by organizational and social ideals and expectations, participating in constituting members’ perception of ‘who they are’. While the enactment of member voicing is not determined in any detail, the paper suggests that members always speak from within a web of preconstructed values, and as such with a constrained voice.

Voicing the organization on social media: towards a nuanced understanding of coworker voice and sources of control

“…We also identified four sources of control that influence coworker's voicing on social media. Thereby, we contribute to previous conceptual and empirical research highlighting the simultaneously enabling and constraining power of societal norms and expectations (Christensen and Christensen, 2022), identity material provided by management, colleagues and the coworker itself (Christensen, 2023) as well as the social media platform conventions and organizational culture (Cassinger and Thelander, 2020). We identified the peer-based influence of colleagues as the most significant source of voice control.…”

“…Thereby, we aim to contribute to the emerging stream of research that emphasizes the performativity of coworker voice and investigate the sources influencing coworkers' voicing practices (e.g. Cassinger and Thelander, 2020; Christensen, 2023; Christensen and Christensen, 2022; Wæraas and Dahle, 2020). As our analysis shows, coworkers' voicing on social media is a complex, multifaceted process involving much more than ambassadorship and advocacy, incited and controlled by managers.…”

“…Christensen and Christensen (2022) and Waeraas and Dahle (2020) thus point to the relevance of focusing on control when theorizing coworker voicing. The significance of the concept of control is further highlighted by Christensen (2023), who suggests that coworker voicing can be understood as a form of identity performance influenced by three identity sources, namely the identities (1) provided by management, (2) desired by coworkers themselves and (3) those approved by others. Christensen suggests that coworkers draw from these three identity sources to perform a situationally relevant identity.…”

“…With this article, we contribute to the emerging communication-centered stream of research that stresses the performativity of coworker voice and investigate coworkers' voicing practices (e.g. Cassinger and Thelander, 2020; Christensen, 2023; Christensen and Christensen, 2022). The vital communicative role of coworkers is also reflected in the concept of communicative organizations, where different voices are valued and actively listened to in order for the organization to develop, adapt to change and lead progress (Heide et al ., 2019).…”

Fear of being replaced: The dark side of employee ambassadorship on social media

“…These tensions intensify through social media, which erase the line between work and private identity (Van Zoonen et al, 2016) and give rise to new CCIJ 29,7 expectations. Christensen (2023) demonstrated that employees' identity formation on social media is "permeated by organizational and social ideals and expectations, participating in constituting members' perception of who they are" (p. 53). Cassinger and Thelander (2020) further elaborated on the notion that this self-presentation originates from social conventions embedded in hierarchical structures.…”