The effects of high-performance work systems on hospital employees' work-related well-being: Evidence from Greece

Abstract

Following an employee-centric approach and based on the social and economic exchange theories, this study examines the effects of High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) on employees' work-related well-being, such as emotional exhaustion, work engagement and consequently their job satisfaction. Partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used on a sample of 297 clinicians (doctors, and nurses) across seven Greek regional hospitals. The findings demonstrated that the HPWS effects on employee outcomes can be influenced by their perceived nature of the exchange relationship with their employers. Specifically, it was indicated that if employees perceive their relationship with the hospitals as a social exchange, emotional exhaustion tends to decrease. On the other hand, an economic exchange relationship decreases the possibility that HPWS leads to work engagement. Last but not least, employees' job satisfaction was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion, and positively with work engagement. Finally, implications are drawn for the management of employees in the healthcare sector.