From coffee-queue chats to social media, colleagues are constantly sharing what they think and feel. The real question is: “Are you listening?” Because ignoring that voice has serious costs - and embracing it can be one of the best investments you can make. Sometimes called ‘employee voice’, this style of communication allows someone to communicate their views and influence matters that affect them in their workplace. But it doesn’t just take place in an employer / employee relationship: it can provide a valuable framework for all team members.  

Colleagues speaking up can be powerful. Many major scandals - in broadcasting, in healthcare, manufacturing - shared a pattern: people inside knew something was wrong, but either feared the consequences of speaking out, believed nothing would change, or felt they had tried and failed. When people are ignored, the culture becomes one of silence, fear or cynicism — with reputational, financial, and operational damage.  

By contrast, listening creates resilience. Engaged teams are more productive, creative, stable, and better at spotting trouble early - whether that’s flagging on-set safety risks, faulty equipment, or shifting commissioner feedback. Hearing directly from the workforce in timely manner can prevent such issues escalating.  

The behaviours outlined in the new Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) Standards seek to create safe, inclusive working environments that treat everyone with dignity – safety to speak up lies at the heart of this.  

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. Rather, effective communication often depends on the size and make-up of your workforce, and the ways in which people want to be heard. Striking a balance between formal voice mechanisms and informal listening practice is key to enabling people to feel heard in a way that feels comfortable for them – thereby offering greater insight into ‘the mood on the ground’.  

Approaches include: 

• Collective voice, such as trade unions or formal staff representative bodies. Where well supported, these can offer meaningful input and accountability. Not all workplaces have high union density, but where trade unions are represented, they can provide a meaningful voice for staff. 
    

• Staff networks e.g. those centred on EDI groups: more informal, and often unique to each organisation. These can be powerful if they actually influence decisions.  
   

• Day-to-day dialogue, through leaders, regular check-ins, all-hands meetings, “walk-about” leadership: where informal feedback, concerns and ideas can surface quickly. 
   

• Surveys: a common tool for reaching many people and feedback can be shared anonymously. But surveys alone can feel superficial if only pre-set questions are asked, or if there’s no follow-up. Surveys from other bodies, such as the Mark Milsome Foundation Health and Safety Report, can also provide vital insight into workplace issues and risks.  

It’s not enough to establish structures; how they are managed is even more important. To be effective, they must be: 

• Informed and with two-way dialogue – Colleagues need to understand the bigger picture: how the business is doing, strategy, the external environment impending change. An informed workforce with greater perspective can add more value to workplace discussions. 
   

• Relevant - the topics should matter: not just “tea, toilets & vending machines” (though these matter), but the bigger issues affecting how people work, business change and future direction.  
   

• Representative & inclusive - all voices count – not just those who are most vocal. Freelancers or temporary contractors also need to be heard. Often the middle majority or more reserved colleagues are overlooked. Ensuring diversity of viewpoint is important.  
   

• Supported & trained – representatives (formal or informal) need help: training in listening, feedback, understanding constraints, communicating upwards.  
   

• Listened and responded to – perhaps the most critical: making change based on what people say, and showing that you have. The simple “you said, we did” can build trust and momentum. Remove the perception that feedback disappears into a void.  

Setting up new voice channels may seem daunting, even risky. Start small and build insight as you go. Positive intent and the willingness to listen and meaningfully respond to feedback – formal or informal – is key.  

• Map out existing channels. What’s working, what isn’t? 

• Seek feedback on voice itself: Ask colleagues how they prefer to communicate, what feels safe, what feels performative. 

• Combine formal structures (forums, reps) with informal ones (regular conversations, leadership walkabouts). 

• Ensure leaders are visible listeners – taking action matters as much as collecting feedback. 

• Treat voice as ongoing, not an add-on. Responding might be imperfect, but consistent and sincere works far better than occasional grand gestures. 

Staff voice is always there – harnessing it can avert problems and build a stronger team culture. If you do so, you will build more trust, resilience, innovation, and ultimately better performance.