How can leaders encourage more people to take the initiative?

In many workplaces, employees often have ideas, questions or criticisms, but choose not to speak up. This may be due to a fear of coming across as difficult, uninformed or of being treated badly. A new research project at Jönköping University will investigate how managers can reduce this fear and create working environments where more people dare to take the initiative. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with the furniture company IKEA and the kitchen company Nobia.

The project is led by Erik Waltré, Senior Lecturer in Work Organization at the School of Engineering at Jönköping University. The aim is to increase understanding of how leadership can make it safer for employees to take the initiative at work.

“We will investigate how leadership can encourage more employees to dare to speak up and act proactively at work, for example by asking for help, giving feedback or suggesting changes. Such actions are critical for enabling learning, innovation and change. Many organizations are characterised by silence, despite the fact that change, learning and improvements are crucial to success in a changing world,“ says Erik Waltré.

According to the researchers, it is common for employees to remain silent, even when they see problems or have ideas. This is often due to a fear of standing out or being perceived negatively by others, which makes them reluctant to speak up or ask for help.

The new project aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how the risk of negative social consequences arises and how it interacts with motivation in working life.

From research to practical leadership tools

The project will run for three years, starting in the autumn of 2026, and consists of several interlinked studies. It is funded by the Knowledge Foundation (KK Foundation) with a grant of nearly SEK 3 million. Initially, the researchers will conduct interviews and panel discussions with managers and employees, followed by a large-scale survey study involving employees within the participating organizations.

“I hope we can gain a better understanding of why employees often perceive taking initiative as risky, and how this relates to their motivation. Based on this knowledge, and in close collaboration with companies, we aim to develop and test two leadership training programs. The goal is to provide managers with concrete tools to create safer work environments where more people feel confident in taking action,” says Erik Waltré.

In parallel, a practical handbook will also be developed for organisations that want to improve their ability to adapt, develop, and make better use of employee engagement.