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SCIENCE ARTICLE
Effects of employees’ perceived impact and silence on adaptive performance: Mediating roles of voice quality and self-regulation depletion
1
NUST Business School, National University of Sciences
and Technology (NUST), H‑12, Islamabad, Pakistan, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan
2
School of Management, New Uzbekistan University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
Submission date: 2025-12-25
Final revision date: 2026-02-06
Acceptance date: 2026-02-24
Online publication date: 2026-06-15
Publication date: 2026-06-15
Corresponding author
Muhammad Mehmood Aslam Mehmood Aslam
NUST Business School, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H‑12, Islamabad, Pakistan, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
NUST Business School, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H‑12, Islamabad, Pakistan, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
Management 2026;(1):327-353
KEYWORDS
JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES
O15
M54
I39
J24
J29
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Research background and purpose:
The current study aims to investigate whether employees’ perceived impact on their work environment triggers voice quality and influences their adaptive performance. We ground this conceptualization in the reasoning provided by social exchange theory. We also uncover the underlying mechanism between silence and adaptive performance through the mediating role of self-regulation depletion.
Design/methodology/approach:
A sample of 301 participants was collected from the higher education sector of Pakistan to test the hypothesized relationships. We employed SPSS 26 for preliminary analyses, particularly those related to participants. The model was tested by using PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 4.0 to examine the study hypotheses.
Findings:
Our findings indicated a direct relationship between perceived impact on the environment and adaptive performance, as well as between employee silence and adaptive performance. Interestingly, the effect of perceived impact on adaptive performance via voice quality was also found to be positive and significant. The effect of employee silence on adaptive performance via self-regulation depletion was significant but negative, contrary to expectations.
Value added and limitations:
The current study makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on voice quality and silence by offering a fresh perspective on the underlying mechanisms that link perceived impact on the environment and employee silence to adaptive performance, particularly within the rapidly changing environment of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. Finally, the research implications and future research directions are discussed.
The current study aims to investigate whether employees’ perceived impact on their work environment triggers voice quality and influences their adaptive performance. We ground this conceptualization in the reasoning provided by social exchange theory. We also uncover the underlying mechanism between silence and adaptive performance through the mediating role of self-regulation depletion.
Design/methodology/approach:
A sample of 301 participants was collected from the higher education sector of Pakistan to test the hypothesized relationships. We employed SPSS 26 for preliminary analyses, particularly those related to participants. The model was tested by using PLS-SEM in SmartPLS 4.0 to examine the study hypotheses.
Findings:
Our findings indicated a direct relationship between perceived impact on the environment and adaptive performance, as well as between employee silence and adaptive performance. Interestingly, the effect of perceived impact on adaptive performance via voice quality was also found to be positive and significant. The effect of employee silence on adaptive performance via self-regulation depletion was significant but negative, contrary to expectations.
Value added and limitations:
The current study makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on voice quality and silence by offering a fresh perspective on the underlying mechanisms that link perceived impact on the environment and employee silence to adaptive performance, particularly within the rapidly changing environment of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. Finally, the research implications and future research directions are discussed.
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