Voice systems to express dissent

Voice systems for expressing dissent are the topic of the CERC Dialogue by Minjeong Kang, Indiana University, and Gianluca Togna, Takeda.

An exchange of views from two perspectives, academic and professional, on a crucial issue for participation, innovation, and reputation.

The opinion of Minjeong Kang, Ralph Winslow Endowed Professor, Associate Professor, Indiana University, USA

Dissent is essential in organizations, even if it makes people uncomfortable. It can be directed upward toward management, expressed laterally among peers, or voiced outside the organization. My research shows that when dissent spills into public view, reputations take a hit. But that dissent is also proof that employees care. And the real danger comes when leaders choose not to listen.

History reminds us that progress thrives on dissent. The strength of a team, or a society, lies in the coexistence of diverse perspectives. Yet too often, corporate culture hides behind buzzwords like teamwork and family, subtly teaching employees to self-censor. The result is pseudo-participation: people are asked to talk, but nothing changes. By contrast, real dissent is corrective feedback. It surfaces problems leaders may overlook and pushes teams to adapt. When organizations prize harmony above all else, they risk groupthink, where critical voices are quieted and mistakes go unchallenged.

The costs of silence can be devastating. At Boeing, employees raised concerns about the MCAS flight system, but a culture focused on compliance and speed muted their warnings. The result was catastrophic. This tragedy shows how failing to create space for dissent can have dire consequences. Research on psychological safety reinforces this point. When people feel safe to speak up, they are more willing to report errors, challenge assumptions, and share new ideas.

Complacency is another danger of suppressing dissent. Nokia once dominated the mobile phone market but failed to adapt to the smartphone era. “We didn’t do anything wrong, but somehow, we lost,” the CEO admitted as the company was acquired by Microsoft. This was a sobering reminder that failing to evolve can be as deadly as outright mistakes. Not evolving, not questioning assumptions, and not listening to dissenting voices ultimately cost the company its survival.

These examples show how easy it is for conformity to become the norm, and how dangerous that can be. Dissent should not be treated as defiance but as a resource. A culture that welcomes honest pushback becomes stronger, more adaptive, and more innovative. In a world where silence can be fatal, the real risk is not too much dissent, but not enough.  Leaders in communication play a crucial role here. By building cultures where employees feel safe to voice concerns, organizations don’t just avoid crises, but they open the door to growth, creativity, and long-term success.

The opinion of Gianluca Togna, Head of People Experience and Communication, Ethics&Compliance Advisor, Takeda

Implementing voice systems is crucial for companies because it directly impacts organizational health, innovation, and compliance. Voice is intended as the set of communicative behaviors through which employees express ideas, suggestions, concerns, or report misconduct, thus contributing to continuous improvement.

Voice exists on a continuum: at one end is organizational silence, where fear, distrust, or futility prevent people from speaking up; at the other, proactive speak up and, in extreme cases, whistleblowing.

Silence can have devastating effects leading to reputational damage, financial loss, safety risks, and even criminal charges. Conversely, a culture that fosters psychological safety, where people feel safe to speak without fear of retaliation, drives engagement, participation, and innovation.

Psychological safety is the foundation for a speak up culture: only when people feel listened to and protected will they share ideas and raise concerns. It is equally essential that everyone feels welcomed and valued in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion, creating an environment where every voice is respected and has space, regardless of background, identity, or role. This leads to better collaboration, problem solving, learning, and risk prevention.

Different studies show that fear of retaliation, group pressure, or unclear processes are major barriers to speaking up. From a legal perspective, the Italian Legislative Decree 24/2023 requires public and private companies with more than 50 employees to implement secure, protected internal reporting systems that shield whistleblowers from any form of retaliation. This Decree is a powerful tool to guarantee integrity and fairness within organizations, since it obliges companies to set up clear, confidential, and accessible channels for reporting misconduct, and to ensure that both the whistleblower and the person reported are protected. 

In essence, implementing voice systems allows organizations to prevent risks and reputational damage by surfacing issues before they escalate. It creates an environment where engagement and participation are fostered, as employees feel empowered to contribute with their ideas and concerns. This openness becomes a driver for innovation and continuous improvement. At the same time, robust voice systems ensure legal compliance and the protection of individual rights, aligning the company with both national and European regulations.