Does subordinate moqi affect employee voice? The role of work engagement and role stress

PurposeThis study attempts to develop and test the model regarding work engagement as a mediator and role stress as a moderator to explain how and when subordinate moqi affects employee voice.Design/methodology/approachA two-wave online survey was conducted, and 217 supervisor–subordinate dyads’ data were collected. This study's hypotheses were tested using linear regression analysis.FindingsThe results demonstrated that subordinate moqi is associated with employee voice. The increase in subordinate moqi can enhance employee work engagement and then promote employee voice. Furthermore, employee role stress moderates the relationships between work engagement and employee voice and the indirect effects of subordinate moqi on employee voice via work engagement.Originality/valueFrom the perspective of job resources, this study ascertains that work engagement plays a mediator role in explaining how subordinate moqi affects employee voice and fills in the gap of the mediating mechanism between subordinate moqi and employee voice. Moreover, this study extends the understanding of role stress by emphasizing its positive role rather than its negative function which is highly discussed in previous research.