Why Telling Employees to 'You Suggest, You Do' Is Not Helpful

A manager in Singapore said, 'You suggest, you do lah!' when an employee gave an idea. This shows that speaking up at work can be difficult.

Many workers in Singapore agree with this. They think it is not safe to share their thoughts at work.

This raises questions: Do people in Singapore not speak up at work? Is it better to stay quiet?

There are different types of speaking up. Researchers call these 'employee voice behaviours'.

For example, 'promotive voice' is about suggesting improvements. 'Prohibitive voice' is about pointing out problems. They are different in what they say and why people say them.

To know if speaking up is risky, we need facts.

We all have stories about workers who got in trouble for speaking up. But to really understand, we need to look at data from good research.

It's crucial to know what type of speaking up we are measuring. If we put all types together, we miss important differences.

The idea that Singapore's culture stops people from speaking up is not the whole story.

Culture is not the only reason. There are differences between Asian and Western societies, and even within Asia and organizations.

When we look at data, we see that Singapore workers do speak up, but carefully.

For example, workers reported many unsafe practices at work. This shows that when the issue is clear and safe, workers will speak up.

When the issue is clear and reporting is safe, workers are willing to speak up.

But in other areas, workers are still quiet. For example, many workers are afraid to ask for flexible work arrangements.

Workers are not quiet because they don't have ideas or are too bound by culture. They are thinking about the risks.

The challenge is not to make workers braver, but to make speaking up less risky. Organizations should clarify what they want, measure it, and support it.

Organizations should be clear about what type of speaking up they want.

A startup might want ideas, while a hospital might want reports of safety risks. Each needs a different approach.

A worker might suggest a creative solution but be afraid to report wrongdoing. Organizations should tailor their approach.

Second, measure properly. Use reliable measures like psychological safety.

Be cautious of simple claims. Measure psychological safety in a way that is validated by research.

Good measurement requires sound data practices like anonymity and representative samples.

Finally, design conditions that make speaking up possible. This requires a mindset shift.

Leaders should model openness, reward honesty, and provide safe channels for reporting.

Staying quiet might seem safe in the short term, but it can hurt careers and companies in the long run.

Victor Seah is the Director of the Behavioural Insights Centre of Excellence.

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Practice Listening