Organizational Tenure and Employee Voice: Exploring Curvilinear and Moderated Relationships

Drawing on the affect-laden expectancy-like calculus and career stage theory, this study investigates the nonlinear relationship between organizational tenure and employees' voice. Moreover, based on the theory of action, this study also examines the moderating effect of perceived insider status (PIS) on the organizational tenure-voice link. Using data from 368 supervisor-subordinate dyads, we found that the relationship between organizational tenure and employees' voice was inverted U-shaped. Further, PIS acted as a moderator: for employees with high rather than low level of PIS, there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between organizational tenure and voice. Theoretical and managerial implications are finally discussed.