Final answer:
Empowered employees are more likely to speak up and contribute to their work environment, reducing employee silence. They have the confidence and resources to make positive changes, ensuring their voice is valued in the organization. The correct option is that empowered employees will avoid employee silence because they know they can influence their work environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between employee empowerment and employee silence reflects the dynamics of communication and authority within a workplace. Empowered employees feel confident and are encouraged to speak up, share ideas, and provide feedback, which typically reduces employee silence. This is because an empowered workforce is given the trust, resources, and autonomy to shape their work environment positively. They are more likely to speak out because they know their opinions are valued and can contribute to organizational change and improvement.
Conversely, in environments where empowerment is lacking, employee silence may prevail either due to fear of repercussions or because individuals believe their voice will not make a difference. Thus, keeping open channels of communication, fostering a culture of trust, and encouraging participation is critical to empower employees and diminish the prevalence of silence within the organization.
Based on this context, the correct option from the given choices is that empowered employees will avoid employee silence because they know that they can shape their work environment. This underscores the importance of management fostering an inclusive and supportive atmosphere that encourages employee involvement and expression.