High performance work systems (HPWS) have been shown to associate with performance at diverse levels. In this article, we study the effects of employee age on the relationship between HPWS and employee performance. We use a role-based measurement of employee performance, which introduces five roles that an employee can hold within an organization, namely the roles of Job holder, Career seeker, Innovator, Team member, and Organization member. Integrating social exchange theory with lifespan theories (i.e., future time perspective and socio-emotional selectivity theory), we propose that HPWS have different associations with job roles for older employees. Using 342 pairs of supervisors and their subordinates, that are nested in 111 service organizations, multilevel analyses show that HPWS positively associate with employee performance in the Organization member role. Moreover, the relationships between HPWS and performance in the Job holder and the Career seeker roles are weaker for older than for younger employees. The results are discussed in the light of the challenges they pose for the management of an aging workforce.

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Purpose Staffing is a tool that employers use to decrease information asymmetry when hiring employees. However, how staffing effectiveness evolves according to employee demographic characteristics has not been thoroughly elucidated to date. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model linking staffing practices, age and employee performance. Design/methodology/approach Using a stratified sample of 1,254 employees, the authors hypothesize: the main effects of staffing practices on employee performance, the main effects of age on employee performance and the moderating effects of age on the relationship between staffing practices and employee performance. Findings The results show significant positive effects of staffing and age on employee performance and a negative moderating effect of age on the abovementioned relationship. Practical implications The organizations are urged to invest in recruitment and selection practices and implement focused practices that appeal to an aging workforce. Originality/value The paper is the first to explore the topic of aging workforce and the efficiency of staffing practices on employee performance in the context of the Greek labor force. The authors discuss the results, theoretical contributions, practical implications and future research directions in light of the challenge of managing an aging workforce.

Even though effects of High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) on employee performance have been widely investigated, there is no consensus on how this link is achieved. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), this paper attempts to shed more light in this relationship by investigating the mediating role of affective, normative, and continuance commitment in the relationship between HPWS and employee performance. Moreover, the potential moderating role of employee tenure on the HPWS—organizational commitment link is examined. Using data from 342 subordinates and 115 supervisors from 111 service organizations in Greece, our multilevel analysis shows that affective commitment fully mediates the relationship between HPWS and employee performance. In addition, employee tenure positively moderates the relationships between HPWS and affective and normative commitment. The paper discusses theoretical implications and provides recommendations for practitioners.

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