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Employee silence refers to the intentional withholding of information by employees from others (Johannesen, 1974). However, not every case of noncommunication represents employee silence. It is characterized only by the noncommunication resulting from a conscious decision of employees to hold back seemingly important information, including suggestions, concerns, or questions (Morrison and Milliken, 2000).
Tangirala, S., & Ramanujam, R. (2008). Employee silence on critical work issues: The cross level effects of procedural justice climate. Personnel Psychology, 61(1), 37–68.