The Effects of High Performance Work Systems on Employees in Aged Care

Abstract

There has been a great deal of interest in recent years about High Performance Work Systems (HPWS). It is argued that HPWS, which comprise advanced employment relations policies and practices coupled with quality management systems, can improve organisational performance in terms of financial success, productivity and lower employee turnover. A central feature of these work systems is the high degree of employee involvement or commitment through quality circles, autonomous work groups and enhanced training and development. Critics of this literature, however, contend that the improved performance may be due to heightened stress and work intensification rather than greater employee involvement and commitment. In this article, we attempt to assess the efficacy of a high performance system in an aged care establishment. Based on observations, interviews and a survey, we report on the effects of a HPWS on employees. We find that workers generally perceive that heightened involvement leads to work intensification. However some workers welcome a more active engagement in workplace issues, despite the extra work.