Changes, Dangers, Choice and Voice: Understanding what High Commitment Management Means for Employees and Unions

Abstract

Using a case study approach, this article explores the implications for employees and unions of the introduction of a high commitment management (HCM) model to two Australian workplaces; one a brownfield site, the other a greenfield site. The article assesses the impact of HCM on employees using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Its central argument is structured around four themes. The first relates to the extent and type of the changes introduced. The article briefly overviews the features of the new HCM system at the greenfield site and contrasts them with the traditional industrial relations (IR) extant at the brownfield site. The second theme examines the dangers of the new system for employees and unions at both sites. The third theme analyses the choices available to employees at each workplace and argues that only limited choice is available. The fourth theme considers the opportunities for, and impediments to, employee voice being heard in both the old and new systems. The article concludes with an evaluation of the costs and benefits of the new system for all employees and argues that in order to fully appreciate the implications of HCM, an integration of traditional IR concerns with human resource management (HRM) analysis is essential.