CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

CULTURE OF SILENCE OF BPO EMPLOYEES INFLUENCING THEIR WORK

ETHICS

Neriela L. Castillo, Princess Dianne Y. Marahay, Andrea Kaye M. Pagaura, Darleen

A. Tapia

Rizal Technological University

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the various forms of silence
possessed by the BPO employees. Such as acquiescence, prosociality, quiescence,
and opportunistic silence that are experienced by employees in the business process
outsourcing (BPO) industry. It aimed to assess the employees' work ethics. The study
used a non-probability sampling technique, especially convenience sampling, to
select four hundred (400) employees. The participants included both managerial and
rank-and-file positions of BPO organizations located in Metro Manila, regardless of
their gender, age, job position, and length of service. This study utilized a quantitative
research design and collected data using a survey method. The selected participants
were given researcher-made adapted from Knoll and Van Dick (2019) and Borrowed
Standardized from Sharma and Rai (2015) questionnaires. The surveys were used to
measure and identify the various forms of silence as well as to assess the perceived
work ethics performed by employees. The survey results were then analyzed to
identify relationships between the forms of silence and the BPO employees' assessed
work ethics. In conclusion, the findings provided insight into the complex structure of
the workplace, emphasizing the importance of gaining a better knowledge of the
factors causing the employee's behavior and ethical issues in the BPO business.

Keywords: Culture of Silence, BPO employees, Work Ethics, Acquiescence,

Opportunistic, Prosocial, Quiescent
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

Introduction themselves in a professional manner at all

times. (Remigio, 2022). The definition of

Employees’ silence pertains to work ethics is a person's attitude toward

individuals deliberately withholding their work and labor-intensive activities (Bazzy,

ideas or thoughts about the organization, 2018). The study articulated the pervasive

and it can be significantly detrimental to silence of an employee and its various

the organization and its employees. forms and aimed to measure every

Employees are the main foundation of an employee’s level of silence that

organization or company; it is their corresponds with their job position and the

responsibility to contribute ideas or stimuli that motivate the employees to

opinions. However, they only have the participate in a silent culture.

option to express their valuable ideas or Researchers then used the study and
choose to hold back beneficial ideas that “Scale to Assess Four Motives for
could positively affect the company. Employee Silence” by Knoll and Van Dick
Employees’ silence is defined as (2013), as cited in Knoll et al. (2021), to
conscious behavior that intentionally explain that there were four (4) forms of
suppresses their demands or opinions for silence: acquiescent silence, quiet silence,
their respective organizations. The lack of prosocial silence, and opportunistic
communication from employees prevented silence. Acquiescent silence refers to
management from receiving essential data employees’ lack of interest in expressing
that would enable their organizations to their ideas because it is not appreciated
improve or address issues before they by the upper management, and it
had detrimental consequences. Employee demotivates them for improvements.
silence is believed to harm both the Quiescent silence is defined as
company and the employees. The consciously deliberating significant
organization's capacity to identify errors information and having the motive to
and learn is hindered by the culture of protect oneself, and fear-based silence
silence (Sharu J., Manikandan K., 2019). means that employees are afraid of
The employees should be able to freely voicing their ideas because it might be
express ideas profoundly and correctly inappropriate. Prosocial silence refers to
without a hint of feeling anxious or fear to the refusal to express ideas or information
feel they are part of the organization with coworkers with the primary desire of
(Ozkan et al., 2015). Employees who helping other employees rather than to
exhibit strong work ethics conduct have conflict or protect oneself.
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

Opportunistic silence pertains to the act of interplay between employee silence, job
withholding information or ideas with the title, and work ethics.
intention of gaining a personal advantage,
often at the expense of others. A culture of
Methodology
silence in BPO companies can be seen as
a form of work ethic, which is important to
consider when analyzing the effects of The research utilized a quantitative

employee silence on organizational methodology, collecting and analyzing

outcomes. data through questionnaires. The

researchers used a descriptive method
Research has shown that the forms
to compile data on a specific population
of employee silence can vary depending
or phenomenon, providing insightful
on the context, job position, and individual
information and deepening
factors (Sharu & Manikandan, 2019).
understanding. The most common
Thus, understanding the different forms of
descriptive research method is surveys,
silence and their corresponding stimuli
which can be conducted using
could help managers and employees
convenience sampling techniques. The
create a work environment that promotes
researchers also used a correlational
open communication and constructive
design, a non-experimental study that
feedback while also recognizing the value
explores the relationships between
of silence in certain situations. By doing
variables without manipulating them.
so, organizations could enhance their
While it is useful for examining
capacity to learn and adapt to changing
relationships, it cannot establish
circumstances, ultimately leading to
causation or determine cause-and-effect
improved performance and outcomes.
relationships.
The study aimed to identify the forms
of silence practiced by the employees in Participants
the BPO industry located in Metro Manila
and to determine their assessment of their The study focused on business
work ethics using the “Work Ethics Scale” process outsourcing (BPO) companies in
of Sharma and Rai (2015). It guided the Metro Manila, as Filipinos are a dominant
analysis of the data collected from the force in the industry. Due to time
survey, providing a theoretical lens to constraints and limited information, the
interpret the findings. The framework exact number of employees was
helped to understand the complex
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

unknown. Researchers used Cochran's silence for the 12 item questions. The
infinite population proportion formula and researchers also used one (1)
Krejcie and Morgan table and tally to standardized questionnaire entitled
calculate the desired sample size. A 95% “Work Ethics Scale '' developed by
confidence level was used, with a Sharma and Rai (2015) to measure and
standard baseline of 50%. The minimum identify which form of silence
sample size was 385, but 400 participants employees correspond to, and it’s their
were chosen for safety. Convenience assessed work ethics. The survey
sampling was used, as it was the easiest questionnaire has a 10-item scale and it
to access and allowed for faster data was positively worded and responses to
collection. The respondents were selected each item were obtained on the
based on their age range, job position, following four-point scale: strongly
qualified length of service, and gender. agree, agree, disagree and strongly
The study included 400 employees from disagree. The researchers have the
Metro Manila BPO organizations, permission to borrow the scale and
regardless of their sex. The study aimed modify the scoring and interpretation
to understand the factors influencing system. The survey questionnaire used
customer service in the BPO industry. the Likert scale for the two (2) surveys
to specify their type of silence and their

Research Instrument assessed work ethics.

The researchers utilized one (1)

Data collection
research-made questionnaire adapted
The researchers wrote a letter
from Knoll and Van Dick (2019) entitled
addressed to the college dean. In doing
“Scale to Assess Four Motives for
this, researchers had the authorization
Employee Silence” with the total of
to conduct the study. Then, the
12-item scale questions. To provide
researcher conducted a survey using
their responses, participants utilized a
Google Forms, the survey forms with
frequency scale consisting of seven
informed consent was distributed to
response categories: 1 (never), 2 (very
each qualified participant, stating that
rarely), 3 (rarely), 4 (from time to time),
they agreed to participate in the study
5 (occasionally), 6 (frequently), and 7
and that they needed to honestly
(very frequently). This scale allowed
answer all the questions stated in the
participants to indicate the frequency
consent form. The study used a survey
with which they engaged in each type of
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

questionnaire as the primary data work ethics.

collection tool. The survey questionnaire
was designed to collect data on the Result
forms of silence practiced by employees
in the BPO industry, job position, and
This chapter consists of the There are 20 respondents who are in the
presentation, interpretation, and analysis age of 40 to 50 years old. Most of the
of the data gathered by the researchers. respondents in this study are in the age
Present data were studied, and of 18 to 28 years old. According to the
documents were examined to answer the table, there are 79 respondents who are
questions in the statement of the problem. in rank-and-file positions. Then on the
other hand, only 121 respondents are in
the managerial position. To sum up,
most of the participants in this study are
in the rank-and-file positions. Lastly,
there are 42 respondents who have less
than a year of service and 151
respondents with 1 year to 2 years of
service. A total of 69 respondents having
3 to 4 years of service and followed by
the 104 respondents with 5 to 6 years of
service. Lastly, there are 34 respondents
Table 2 shows the demographics with more than 6 years of service. To
of the respondents. To start, there are finalize, most of the respondents in this
125 male respondents who participated study have 1 to 2 years of service.
in this study. On the other hand, there
are 275 female respondents with a total Table 3 presents the distribution
of (N = 400) BPO employees. Hence, of the respondents according to their
the majority of the participants in this type or form of silence practiced. As
research are female. In terms of age seen here, Acquiescence mean score is
distribution, there are 264 respondents M = 4.47 indicating it as average. In
who are in the age of 18 to 28 years old. prosocial silence the computed mean
Then there are 116 respondents who’s score is M = 4.72 which means above
age is around 29 to 39 years old. Lastly, average. For opportunistic silence the
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

mean score is M = 4.32 indicating that it Table 5 presents the correlation

is average. Lastly, the computed mean between forms of silence and level of
score from the norming of quiescent is M assessed work ethics of BPO
= 4.51 implying that it is average. employees. There is no significant
relationship between forms of silence
and work ethics (r = 0.023, p < 0.641)
which is greater than the alpha level (*p
< .05), indicating that it has a very low
relationship. This indicates that the work
ethics of BPO employees isn't influenced
by the forms of silence they possessed.
They can still be professional with their
work even if they are having motives in
being silent.

Table 4 presents the respondents’

assessed work ethics. The respondents’
Discussion
assessed work ethics obtained an overall
weighted mean value (x̄) of 3.20, which is
(1) The study involved 400
High. Filipino virtues greatly affect their
participants, from 18 to 50 years old.
work ethics. The outcome of table 4
Most of the respondents are in the age
shows how Filipinos value their work thus,
of 18 to 28 years old (264). The majority
they are often recognized for being
were female (275), and a significant
exceptional workers and members of a
number held rank-and-file positions
team regardless of their workplace.
(279). Additionally, 151 respondents had
1 to 2 years of service.

(2) Employees in the study

engaged in various forms of silence in
the workplace. Acquiescent Silence,
Quiescent Silence, Prosocial Silence,
and Opportunistic Silence were
observed. Notably, the score obtained
was Average which means these types
 CASTILLO, MARAHAY, PAGAURA, TAPIA

of silence were practiced by BPO Alraies, F. (2019). Many silences: an

employees. application of grid-group cultural
theory to reticence in Saudi
(3) The assessed work ethics of Arabian educational institutions.
the BPO employees were generally https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/24
positive, with an overall weighted mean 38/19624
value (x̄) of 3.20, indicating agreement
and High assessed work ethics.
Aziz, Faiq, and Et Al. (2021). “The
Integration of Work Ethics and
(4) The researchers accepted
Technology Acceptance towards
the null hypothesis, suggesting no
Enhancing Online Learning
significant relationship between the
Environment among Lecturers.”
forms of silence practiced by employees
Turkish Journal of Computer and
and their assessed work ethics.
Mathematics Education
(TURCOMAT),12(9), 2979–82.
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