Open Access

Leader-employee calling congruence and voice behaviour: The mediating role of perceived insider status

Xiaolin Zhang¹, Shujie Li², Enguo Wang^1,*

1 Institute of Psychology and Behaviour, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475000, China
2 School of Public Administration, Henan University of Economics and Law, Zhengzhou, 450016, China

* Corresponding Author: Enguo Wang. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(1), 75-81. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.065767

Received 01 July 2024; Accepted 04 November 2024; Issue published 30 April 2025

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between leader-employee calling congruence on employees’ voice behaviour. Participants were 173 leader-employee dyads from the Chinese service industry. They completed online surveys on calling, perceived insider status, and voice behaviour. Results from polynomial regression and response surface analysis showed that employees perceived insider status to be weaker with the low leader-low subordinate calling congruence, and stronger with high leader and high subordinate calling congruence. Employees perceived insider status is stronger in low leader and high subordinate calling incongruence compared with high leader and low subordinate calling incongruence. Perceived insider status plays a mediating role among calling congruence and voice behaviour. This study’s findings suggest pathways of calling congruence on voice behaviour, which are important for promoting employee voice behaviour and guiding organisational recruitment in the workplace.

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Keywords

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