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Note on High-Commitment Work Systems - Case Solution

David A. Garvin; Norman Klein | Harvard Business Review ( 693080-PDF-ENG ) | April 01, 1993 (Revision: 2023-09-20)
Abstract:

This case study entitled "Note on High-Commitment Work Systems" depicts the role of a high commitment as applied to human resource management. It looks into whether this system helps in the performance of the employees and whether it as well gives advantages to the business of the company.

Case Questions Answered

  • Discuss the role of high-commitment work systems in human resource management.
  • Do HPWS aspects contribute to employees/business performance?

Human Resource Systems and Organizations

Companies are on the mission of attaining sustained high performance, and they achieve this via a working system they adopted. For that reason, high- performance work is concerned with enhancing performance through individuals (Armstrong, 2009).

According to Appelbaum et al. (2000), high-performance work systems (HPWS) pay off because they enable skill enhancement, employee involvement, and motivation.

Generally, high-commitment work systems are allied to workshop practices that enhance trust levels within a workplace and heighten workers’ intrinsic rewards from work. Themes that support the concept of HPWS include a creative and open culture that is inclusive and people-oriented, and decision-making is shared and communicated within the organization.

It also includes investing in workers through training, loyalty, education, flexible working, inclusiveness, setting the target, and benchmarking for measurable performance.

High-performance work systems aspects were contributing to

employees/business performance.

Employee security: The business trend of engaging in part-time hiring and contract employment leads to low employee motivation and commitment.

As explained by Caldwell (2014), high-commitment work systems advocate establishing high-trust partnerships between organizations and employees and help to promote extra-role and extra-mile behavior as well as build commitment that is essential for organization and employees’ performance. Employment security…

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