This study expands the close monitoring literature by unraveling how and when the leader's close monitoring makes their followers freeze and keeps them from speaking (i.e., voice and silence behavior). Specifically, we propose that this negative influence of close monitoring can be weakened in follower telework situations. To test our model, we conduct a field study for the MBA sample (Study 1) and a general sample survey (Study 2). In study 1, we found that psychological safety stood as a key mechanism linking close monitoring and voice behavior. further follower telework intensity weakened the negative effects of close monitoring on psychological safety, and in turn, voice behavior. In Study 2, we revealed that the reduction of job autonomy and increasing workplace anxiety are critical in linking close monitoring and psychological safety. We also found that telework weakened the negative indirect effect of close monitoring on psychological safety via job autonomy and workplace anxiety ultimately resulting in follower silence. Our research highlights the importance of close monitoring, which many leaders and followers believe in necessary, may actually undermine followers’ proactive behaviors, thus, hampering organizational functioning.
