Although traditionally applied separately, this study combines two theoretical perspectives - the stewardship and the agency perspective - and two HRM approaches – the commitment-based and the control-based HRM approach - to uncover configurations (HRM systems) of family SME-context influences and HRM practices able to create employee retention and productivity in family SMEs. We examined organizational outcomes provided by HRM systems using data from a sample of 623 family SMEs. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis techniques, we found that the family SME-context influences and HRM practices are necessary, but not always sufficient, conditions for employee retention and productivity. Further, our results show that the family SME-context influences can fulfill substitute or complementary roles when they interrelate with well-developed bundles of HRM practices. Accordingly, this study highlights the need for studying the co-creation effects on employee retention and productivity in family SME HRM research, that is, how family and non-family managers and HRM practices interrelate for explaining employee retention and productivity in family SMEs.