HRM Seminar

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3. Introduction
What is HI/EI?
Common IP
What are HIWPs?
Components of HIWPs
Advantages of HIWPs
Possible Issues of HIWPs
How effective HIWPs is?
Conclusion
References
Outlines
Alike Terms

4. Introduction
High-involvement work practices (HIWPs) refer to a set of practices
aimed at improving employee performance by increasing employees’
skills and motivation (Pil McDuffie, 1996).
It could be defined as:
HIWP is a group of separate but interconnected human resource
(HR) practices designed
to enhance employee effectiveness.
Similarly,
High-involvement work a practice (HIWPS) is a set of broad practices
uses to improve employee performance and increase skills and motivation.

5. Alike Terms
Some studies tend to treat the terms of HPWS, HIWP and HCM as interchangeable (Peccei R ,2004).
Similarly, Leggat et al (2011)state that HPWS are ‘also referred to as high-performance workplaces,
high-commitment workplaces, high-involvement work systems and high-performance practices.
Gould-Williams(2004) writes that practices are very loosely labeled ‘high performance’, ‘high
commitment’, or ‘high involvement’ practices.
Likewise, Gittell et al (2010), report ‘multiple labels’ including HPWS, high-commitment work systems,
HIWS and high-performance.
High performance work system (HPWS)
high-involvement work practices (HIWP)
Human capital management (HCM)
high-performance practices (HPP)

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What is HI / EI ?
High Involvement (HI) or Employee Involvement (EI) spans a variety of
organizational procedures and practices which aim at creating a workforce that is
committed to achieving the objectives of the organization. (“John Gennard and Graham
Judge”)
The term high involvement is used to highlight
the importance enhanced opportunities for
the employees to make decisions (Lawler 1986).

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Common Involvement Practices are:
Information on Organizational Performance
Quality circles/ Total quality Management
Development of employee techniques
Sophisticated selection techniques
Staff Suggestion schemes
Self Managed teams
Job Security
Staff surveys

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What are high-involvement work practices?
In terms of HR practices, high involvement practices such as broadly defined tasks,
decentralized decision-making, information sharing, higher levels of training and
greater use of cross-utilization and teams are all consistent with providing
employees with opportunity, skills and motivation to contribute to organizational success
in environments demanding greater levels of commitment and involvement(Guthrie et
al., 2002).

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Cont…
These range from selecting the right people for the organization to a
commitment to training and skill development, team based work
organization, job security, and incentive-based pay.
So, It is the combination of bundle work practices rather
than individual work practices which shapes the
pattern of interactions between managers
and employees (Macduffie’s 1995: 200).

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Components of HIWPS
There are 3 main important components of HIWPs.
Firstly employees should possess high level of skills and are assessed
through training.
Secondly the work itself is designed in such a way that the employees have a
opportunity to use their skills.
Thirdly the pay structure which motivates and brings the commitment
of employees to the organization (Whitfield, 2000).

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Cont…
Some other important components that constitute high involvement work practices:
Team working
Employee Empowerment
Information Sharing
Rewards
Knowledge
Training
and decision making (Laweler, Mohraman, &Ledford, 1995).

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Advantages of HIWPs
Providing employees with opportunities (Guthrie, Spell and Nyamori 2002).
 Enhancing and sustaining both the competence and commitment of employees
(Lado and Wilson 1994; Ulrich 1998).
Putting firms in a position to create knowledge and opportunities
(Teece et al, 1997) .
Employees in HIWP firms have more skills to perform their
jobs(Delery &Doty, 1996).
More authority to make decisions (Delery &Doty, 1996).
Foster greater commitment to the organization (Spreitzer, 1995; Sun et al., 2007).

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Cont…
Represents investment in human capital (Lambe, Wittmann & Spekan, 2001)..
Contribute to employee motivation and development and Reduce turnover
intentions (Boxall & Macky, 2009)
Lead to a ‘win-win’ approach (Sciences & Nuland, 2019).
Develops optimistic beliefs and attitudes (Alison, K. M. 2006).
Enhancig organization performance (MacDuffie, 1995).
Reduces stress among employees (Holahan and Gottlieb,2001).

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Possible Issues of HIWPs
Job rotation will not automatically lead to success
Changing to high-involvement work practice is hard
Variance in work practice is widespread
Successful change is rare(Peter Cappelli 1999).

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How effective HIWPs is at Organizations?
Sense of commitment (Eileeen Appelbaum and her colleagues 2000).
Provide employees with the power to make workplace decisions
Managers reap enhanced performance from these systems.
Increase Trust , Significant improvement in training,
Training to build their knowledge and skills
Better job satisfaction
More participation,
High morale

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Cont…
Rewards for their efforts to improve performance
Employees seem to enjoy working in HIWPs.
And low turnover (Jeffery Arthur 1994).
Information about how their actions
Better-quality performance,
Greater adaptability
Affirmative attitude,
Higher productivity,

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Conclusion
A good high involvement work practices are one that involves and engages employees
in such a way that firm’s productivity level is reached. Open communication and fair
remuneration should be felt and valued in the organization. It is very important that the
high involvement work practices should be implemented right from the beginning which
helps in creating a sociological climate. This leads to change in the attitude and more
involvement would be there from the individual’s point of view. The components of high
involvement would allow the organization to be the part of integral system which helps in
overall functioning. The number of variables used in each area would allow the
organization to vary the degree of involvement from low to high.

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Cont…
High involvement work practices would function properly only when the organization follows the
comprehensive recruitment and selection procedure and more likely should develop sense of trust among
employees. Training plays a vital role in alleviating the managers to train their employees in basic
regulations which would enable them to make decisions.
Managers should understand how to implement high involvement work practices which has long term
benefits that focuses on organizational change. It is the investment in human capital in the short-term that
will lead to much greater results for the organization in the future. Feedback and the information given to
the employees appear to improve the overall productivity of an organization. Employees should feel that
they are secured and it is the culture of the organization that gives freedom to the employees to voice out
their opinions and put forward their suggestions in order to improve work process.

19. Guthrie, J. P., Spell, C. S., & Nyamori, R. O. (2002). Correlates and consequences of high involvement work practices:
The role of competitive strategy. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 13(1), 183–197.
Halfers, S. (2018). Perceptions of High-Involvement Work Practices and Turnover Intentions among
Nurses and Midwives: The Mediating Role of Stress, (June).
Ruiz Sánchez, L. (2014). High Involvement Work Practices and Engagement the Case of Brico Dépôt.
Sciences, B., & Nuland, J. Van. (2019). “ High Involvement Work Practices and Task Performance :
The Mediating Effect of Employee Engagement and
the Moderating Effect of a Transformational Leadership Style ’’, (July).
Studies, S. (n.d.). Stanisława Borkowska Human Resource Management and Innovation in the Business Organization.

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