Exploring Relationship of High-performance Work System with Knowledge Workers' Work engagement through Indirect and Indirect Effects

Abstract

This research work was undertaken to examine how the implementation of a high-performance work system (HPWS) affected the level of work engagement in Indian knowledge workers by observing the both direct and indirect effects. Research was carried out involving 202 knowledge workers from India. The study employed an online survey to gather information from the participants, and the data was obtained through a structured questionnaire. According to the study's findings, Indian knowledge workers recognized and valued the advantages of an HPWS (High Performance Work System) that embraced employees’ participation in important decisions, receive ongoing training and development, access pertinent information and knowledge, and have access to a well-structured performance evaluation system. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that Indian knowledge workers also acknowledged their level of engagement in their work, indicating a willingness to take on challenges, voluntarily assist colleagues and supervisors, and fully engage with their tasks. In general, HPWS reported for 35 per cent of the variability in job engagement and exhibited a positive connection with work assignment. The study's findings also showed that HPWS reported for 31 per cent of the alteration in psychological contract fulfillment, 22 per cent of the variance in workers' perceived organizational support in terms of resources, and 33 per cent of the variance in organizational identity among Indian knowledge workers. Notably, constructs like ‘psychological contract fulfillment,’ ‘organizational identity’ and ‘perception of job resources’ influenced the Indian knowledge workers’ ‘work engagement.’ Also, findings showed that in the context of Indian knowledge workers, factors such as the ‘psychological contract fulfillment,’ ‘perception of job resources,’ and ‘organizational identity’ played a role as partial mediators between High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) and knowledge workers’ ‘work engagement.’ Moreover, 'job satisfaction' acted as a perfect intermediary or mediator between 'fulfillment of psychological contract' and 'work engagement'.