Even motivated employees hold back if they don’t feel permitted to act. Learn how leaders can create a culture that encourages initiative at every level.
Why proactive employees hesitate—and what managers can do to fix it
Most leaders say they want employees to take initiative—to speak up, solve problems, and improve systems. But even in workplaces that say they value innovation, many employees hold back.
Why?
Because they’re not sure if they’re allowed to take that step.
This article is based on a study by Akben and Vogel (2025), who introduce the concept of proactivity permission—an employee’s tacit belief about whether it is acceptable to engage in proactive behaviors. Their field study of 388 employees and 110 supervisors across 35 organizations offers critical insight into what enables or inhibits employees from speaking up and taking action.
The Fourth Factor in Proactivity: Why Motivation Isn’t Enough
Organizations often assume that initiative is driven by motivation alone. The study challenges that assumption.
Traditional workplace psychology identifies three motivational drivers of proactive behavior:
- Capability (“can do”),
- Purpose (“reason to”), and
- Enthusiasm (“energized to”).
But even highly motivated employees often don’t act. Not because they lack capability or enthusiasm, but because they’re unsure whether it’s appropriate for them to take initiative. They hesitate, not out of disinterest, but out of uncertainty.
Akben and Vogel (2025) introduce a fourth force: permission—the implicit belief that an employee has the freedom to act without overstepping. Without this belief, the decision to speak up or take charge becomes a psychological risk.
Employees ask themselves:
Is this really my place? Will I be seen as disruptive? What if I get it wrong?
Even the most capable and well-intentioned employees may choose silence over uncertainty. Innovation dies—not from lack of ideas, but from lack of psychological permission.
What Is Proactivity Permission?
Proactivity permission is not a formal rule or policy—it is a perception.
It reflects whether an employee believes they are allowed to act beyond their assigned role. This includes suggesting new processes, raising concerns, taking initiative to improve outcomes, or even proposing small changes to how work is done.
Permission can take two forms:
- Positive permission occurs when leaders explicitly encourage proactive behavior.
- Negative permission exists when no signals prohibit initiative—creating space for employees to act even in the absence of direct invitation.
Both forms matter. But especially in environments where proactive behavior is expected but not openly discussed, negative permission may be the critical factor that allows employees to step forward.
Unlike job autonomy (which focuses on control over one’s current role) or psychological safety (which concerns interpersonal risk), proactivity permission is about whether employees feel they are socially and structurally permitted to go beyond the minimum. It is shaped by unspoken rules, workplace dynamics, and perceived boundaries.
How the Perception of ‘Not Being Allowed’ Develops
The perception that initiative is unwelcome rarely stems from a single policy. Instead, it forms subtly—through status cues, social norms, and past experiences.
Low-status employees, for instance, often assume less leeway to act than their higher-status peers. Employees new to a role or company may be unsure where initiative ends and overstepping begins. Weak relationships with supervisors can further erode the sense that input is welcome. Meanwhile, tightly enforced rules and rigid policies suggest that conformity—not creativity—is the priority.
Even informal dynamics matter. In groups where mistakes are punished or dissent is discouraged, employees may learn to stay in their lane—even if no one explicitly told them to.
Over time, people internalize these signals. They come to believe that proactivity is reserved for others. And without a conscious effort to shift those perceptions, that belief becomes self-reinforcing.
The Cost of Uncertainty: What Happens When Employees Don’t Feel Permitted
When employees question whether they’re allowed to act, they often choose inaction over potential conflict or confusion.
This can result in:
- Missed opportunities for innovation
- Slower problem-solving
- Disengagement from process improvement
- Reduced ownership and accountability
The loss is not due to laziness or apathy. It’s due to ambiguity. Employees simply aren’t sure if stepping forward will be supported—or penalized.
Key Influences on Proactivity Permission—and How Leaders Can Improve Them
The researchers identify several factors that shape an employee’s sense of permission. Many are directly within the influence of managers and organizational culture.
1. Leader–Member Relationships Signal Safety or Restraint
Employees are more likely to perceive they have permission to act when they have strong, trust-based relationships with their supervisors.
A high-quality leader–member exchange (LMX) builds trust and mutual respect. When employees feel supported, they’re more willing to take initiative without fear of being shut down.
Practical recommendation:
Supervisors should engage in regular, open conversations and respond constructively to new ideas—even when those ideas need refinement. What matters is the signal: initiative is welcome.
2. Highly Consistent Rules May Inhibit Discretion
Interestingly, the study found that employees reported lower proactivity permission when organizational rules were highly consistent. The authors suggest that tightly structured rule systems may send an implicit message that deviation or discretionary behavior is discouraged—even if no one says so directly.
Practical recommendation:
Clarify which areas require strict compliance and which allow for flexibility. Explicitly identify places where employees are encouraged to think creatively or adapt processes.
3. Cultural Norms Shape Whether Initiative Feels Acceptable
Team culture strongly influences whether employees perceive that initiative is encouraged. In “tight” cultures—where conformity and predictability are emphasized—employees are more likely to believe that deviation from norms is discouraged. In “loose” cultures, exploration and experimentation are more common.
Practical recommendation:
Reinforce that mistakes made in pursuit of improvement are acceptable. Managers must reward responsible risk-taking, not just rule-following.
4. The Uneven Distribution of Permission: Who Feels Allowed to Speak Up?
Not all employees interpret permission equally.
Employees with higher organizational status—those who are well-regarded, long-tenured, or hold visible roles—often feel more permitted to act. In contrast, newer employees, lower-status workers, and those from underrepresented groups may assume that initiative is reserved for others.
Additionally, some employees with inflated self-perceptions (psychological entitlement) may feel permitted even when they’re not, leading to potential overreach.
Practical recommendation:
Leaders should pay attention to who is regularly offering input—and who isn’t. Don’t assume silence means disengagement. Actively ask for ideas from team members who may feel uncertain about whether their voice is welcome.
Building a Culture of Permission and Initiative
Fostering proactivity requires more than motivation—it requires a sense of permission that is broadly and equitably distributed.
Here are actionable steps leaders can take:
- Explicitly state that initiative is encouraged—even beyond formal roles
- Normalize input and idea-sharing in meetings, reviews, and informal conversations
- Create space for experimentation and reduce the fear of failure
- Clarify where employee discretion is expected and valued
- Recognize and reward initiative—even when the results aren’t perfect
Conclusion: Proactivity Begins with Perceived Permission
The takeaway from this research is clear: the difference between a quiet team and a proactive one may not be motivation—it may be uncertainty about permission.
Employees are constantly reading the room. If they sense that initiative is only for the favored few, or that speaking up may lead to consequences, they will keep their best ideas to themselves.
Managers and organizational leaders have the opportunity to reshape that narrative. By fostering strong relationships, creating flexible policies, and intentionally shaping norms, they can create a work environment where everyone feels empowered to take initiative.
Permission isn’t a policy—it’s a signal. And that signal starts with leadership.
Reference:
Akben, M., & Vogel, R. M. (2025). The role of permission in the employee proactivity process. Journal of Applied Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001271