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Disclosure, leaks, and slips: Issues and strategies for prohibiting employee communication

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  • Sussman, Lyle

Abstract

Both popular and social science literature are replete with recommendations for enhancing communication effectiveness, typically defined as improving the clarity and impact of the spoken and written word. However, managing internal organizational processes and external market competitiveness often requires a different communication strategy, specifically silence and non-disclosure, while adhering to statutory regulations. This article summarizes the rationale for communication prohibitions, highlights counter forces mitigating their intended effects, and offers recommendations for successful implementation. The three major counter forces are: employee motivation and perception, changing socio-cultural norms, and organizational structures reflecting virtual teams and project teams. The eight recommendations for combating these forces are subsumed under one of two categories: creating an organizational culture supporting prohibitions, and executing the prohibitions with a minimum of employee resistance. In summary, employees charged with maintaining secrecy and adhering to non-disclosure prohibitions must view those restrictions as reasonable, warranted, equitable, and legal.

Suggested Citation

  • Sussman, Lyle, 2008. "Disclosure, leaks, and slips: Issues and strategies for prohibiting employee communication," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 331-339.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:51:y:2008:i:4:p:331-339
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frances J. Milliken & Elizabeth W. Morrison & Patricia F. Hewlin, 2003. "An Exploratory Study of Employee Silence: Issues that Employees Don’t Communicate Upward and Why," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 1453-1476, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandra Mazzei & Alfonsa Butera, 2016. "Brand consistent behavior of employees on social media: the role of social media governance and policies," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(4), pages 85-106.
    2. Bos, Brenda & Broekhuizen, Thijs L.J. & de Faria, Pedro, 2015. "A dynamic view on secrecy management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2619-2627.
    3. Fedorenko, Ivan & Berthon, Pierre & Edelman, Linda, 2023. "Top secret: Integrating 20 years of research on secrecy," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).

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