Line manager implementation perceptions as a mediator of relations between high-performance work practices and employee outcomes.

Abstract

Strategic human resources management (SHRM) scholars recently have suggested that high-performance work practices (HPWP) implementation might serve as a critical mediator between HPWP and workplace outcomes. This study proposes and tests a model that positions line managers' perceptions regarding the extent to which they implement their organization's HPWP as a mediator of relations between HPWP and employee attitudes (i.e., turnover intentions and participative decision-making perceptions) and behavior (i.e., job performance). Using data from 507 line managers and 109 matched line manager-subordinate response sets, the results suggest that line managers' HPWP implementation perceptions fully mediate relations between HPWP and employee outcomes. The authors also found that line managers' human resources competency and political skill affect their HPWP implementation perceptions. Overall, these findings contribute to a more informed understanding of relationships between HPWP and work outcomes and suggest that additional SHRM research is needed to better understand whether and how HPWP are implemented.

High‐performance work system and employee performance: the mediating roles of social exchange and thriving and the moderating effect of employee proactive personality

“…As a result, department supervisors play a crucial role in implementing HPWS (Brewster, Gollan and Wright ; Sikora and Ferris ). Correspondingly, some researchers have used department supervisors to assess HPWS (Jensen, Patel and Messersmith ; Pak and Kim ; Sikora, Ferris, and Van Iddekinge ). However, that approach did pose a weakness in the current research.…”

“…Department supervisors play a vital role in carrying out HPWS (Brewster, Gollan and Wright 2013;Sikora and Ferris 2014). Accordingly, researchers usually use department supervisors to report HPWS (Jensen, Patel and Messersmith 2013;Pak and Kim 2018;Sikora, Ferris and Van Iddekinge 2015). Variability frequently exists at the department level because department supervisors may differ incompetence and willingness to deal with HR affairs, workload, and HR responsibility (Kuvaas, Dysvik and Buch 2014;Vermeeren 2014).…”

Implementing Sustainable Human Resources Practices: Leadership Style Matters

“…To address the issue of HR practice implementation, we focus on the role of frontline managers' leadership in implementing HPWSs. Although the critical roles of frontline managers in implementing HR practices have been observed in previous studies (e.g., [19]), those studies' findings are limited. That is because these studies do not provide insights into specific mechanisms of how frontline managers' leadership can operate as a boundary condition in conveying the effect of HPWSs on organizational outcomes such as innovation.…”

Making stronger causal inferences: Accounting for selection bias in associations between high performance work systems, leadership, and employee and customer satisfaction.

“…Indeed, prior research suggests there may be only weak to moderate associations between job satisfaction and job performance (Iaffaldano & Muchinsky, 1985;Judge, Thoresen, Bono, & Patton, 2001), and effective leaders may be better able to motivate employees through goal setting, setting clear role expectations, and providing ongoing feedback on job performance, which may not necessarily enhance employee attitudes (e.g., Latham & Yukl, 1976). Moreover, the effectiveness of HR practices may be dependent on leaders implementing them properly, highlighting the value of continuing to study how line manager communication and implementation of HR systems affects employee and organizational outcomes (e.g., Den Hartog, Boon, Verburg, & Croon, 2013;Sikora, Ferris, & Van Iddekinge, 2015). We did not measure all possible mediating mechanisms or outcome variables in our study and we do not advocate for organizations to halt HPWS implementation based on these results.…”