High Performance Working: Concept, Components, Barriers and Evaluation

This report analyzes the concept of High Performance Working (HPW) and its components, barriers to implementing HPW, and the link between HPW and employee well-being, competitive advantage, and sustainable organizational performance. The report is based on secondary source material and academic research.

 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
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Part A (A.C 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) (1,500 words)
As part of an ongoing programme of organisational change, your HR director wants to introduce a new
performance management process, which will sit alongside other people management and HR practices
that have been designed to support High Performance Working within your organisation.
She has sked you to provide an initial report based on your research covering the concept of ‘High
Performance Working’ (HPW) and the extent to which it supports sustainable organisational
performance. She asked that you base you report on secondary source material, particularly literary
sources.
Your report should analyse and explain:
 The concept of HPW (AC 1.1)
 Definition of the key components of HPW (i.e. perspectives on the range of processes, practices or
systems that might be included in the best HPW best practice bundle (AC 1.1)
 Barriers to implementing HPW in organisations (AC 1.3)
You should also provide an evaluation of the evidence demonstrating a link between HPW and:
 Employee well-being
 Competitive advantage
 Sustainable organisational performance (1.2)
You will need to make reference to academic research and literature in your brief.
 Please also comment on how you will transfer the new knowledge and skills gained during this
assignment into working practices. You may also use this reflection for your CPD.
 You should also include 3-5 references from up to date and relevant sources in order to support
your findings. This assignment must be submitted through Online Services
NAME: COHORT:
COMPANY: Sharjah National Oil
Corporation
WORD COUNT
Section 1
The concept of HPW (AC 1.1)
High Performance Working (HPW) is an organizational management system that is focuses on
the inclusive approach. The management that takes up HPW, generally aims at creating a
harmonious organizational environment. Moreover, the HPW framework entitles the employees
to take up responsibilities (Jiang and Liu 2015). In this regard, it can be said that the
organizations take up HPW in order to support the HR practices. By employing the HPW system,
organizations are able to identify the needs of the company, design jobs as well as identify the
types of employees that are required for a particular job.
Definition of the key components of HPW (i.e. perspectives on the range of processes,
practices or systems that might be included in the best HPW best practice bundle (AC 1.1)
The high performance work framework has been implemented by multiple organizations in
order to improve the organizational functioning and efficiency. The framework also focuses on
the selection, hiring and retaining of the employees that are capable of delivering high
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 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
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performance. In addition to this, the HPW system aims at the organizational development (Kooij
et al. 2013). In this regard, the framework emphasizes on multiple organizational practices. The
primary aim of establishing these practices is to ensure employee engagement and awareness.
The practices of the framework are:
 Conveying the organizational goal: In order to successful execution of the aimed jobs, an
organization needs to take up initiatives to make the employees aware of the aims. In this
regard, it is highly important to convey the mission and vision statement of the organization to
the employees.
 Sharing Information: maintaining organizational transparency and friendly environment is highly
important. In order to make the employees feel included, easy communication is highly
important. This practice also ensures the process of sharing information (Patel, Messersmith and
Lepak 2013). In order to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the employees, sharing
necessary information from the both ends is highly required.
 Inclusion: one of the most important aspect of organizational efficiency is to take up inclusive
approach and listening to the ideas and views of the employees. Listening and incorporating
their ideas will encourage the employees to a great extent.
 Effective Recruitment Policies: Another important practice that has been taken up by HPW
framework is recruiting and providing training to the employees. The framework puts emphasis
on the process of recruiting highly skilled and talented workforce as well as taking up policies to
retain them. Moreover, career growth and development opportunities are also practiced in order
to encourage more productivity.
 Focusing on job Security and Productivity: The HPW system also urges the organization to focus
on the process of providing job security to the employees. It has been noticed that providing job
securities is one of the major steps that can boost production of the employees. Moreover, the
organization that takes up better policies and practices to ensure the more facilities for the
employees are highly effective (Posthuma et al. 2013). In addition to this, the organizations need
to take up policies that are more focused on the products and efficiency of the employees rather
than focusing on the organizational hierarchy.
 Alignment of Leaders: The practice of aligning the leaders and their capabilities are regarded as
highly effective in increasing the productivity. Hence, in this regard it can be said that the
strategies that are taken up by organizations in order to develop the resources are highly
effective. Moreover, the practice also ensure the process of identifying the future needs of
leadership and provide training accordingly (Shin and Konrad 2017). In addition to this, the
practice also focuses on identifying the potential leaders for the future.
Barriers to implementing HPW in organisations (AC 1.3)
Many a times it has been noticed that in spite of the efficiency of the HPW practices,
organizations fail to implement the HPW framework in the organization. The possible reasons
behind the failure of HPW practices can be varied in nature.
 Lack of Practical Approach: it has been noticed that in many of the originations the leaders are
enthusiastic about organizational change. Due to this the leaders often decides strategic
direction that are lofty and not applicable. A strategic decision that is lofty in nature often lacks
proper vision. Hence, it cannot be applied.
 Distractions: in the fast paced and competitive world, the leaders are managers are often
preoccupied with multiple issues (Kehoe and Wright 2013). Hence, it has often been noticed that
the organizations lack focus on a particular issue. As a result of this often the leaders as well as
the organization fail to employ HPW practices effectively. In addition to this, it is also noticeable
that the leaders take up multiple practices at a same time and try to implement them at the
same time. This leads to a chaotic situation within the organization and both the employees as
well as the leaders.
 Attachment: it has been monitored that many a times, leaders as well as the employees remain
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 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
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highly attached to the old organizational culture. The excessive affinity towards old rules and
regulations is considered as one of the major barriers in implementing the HPW framework in an
organization.
 Lack of harmony: In an organizational environment, lack of harmony and coordination amongst
the leaders and managers are harmful for the process of implementation of HPW framework. It
has also been noticed that the midlevel employees often lack the necessary commitment and
hence show less enthusiasm in the change process (Kim, Kolb and Kim 2013). The lofty strategies
and theories are often not properly understandable by the mid-level as well as lower level
employees. Hence, in order to implement the HPW system, communication amongst the
employees as well as the leaders and managers is highly important.
 Lack of Focus: another major barrier in the path of successful implementation of the HPW
system is the lack of focus. The primary reason behind losing focus from a strategy is
implementation of too many strategies at a same time. In addition to this, it has often monitored
that the managers and leaders become apprehensive about the outcome of a new strategy
(Saeidi et al. 2015). As a result of this, they tend to change or revise a strategy too many times
and too often. This creates a negative effective on the minds of the employees. They tend to
resist further changes as a result of this.
Evaluation of the evidence demonstrating a link between HPW and employee well-being
It has been noticed that the high productivity rate of the employees of an organization is
significantly linked with the overall wellbeing of the employees. In order to maintain the high
productivity, providing them with proper and sufficient compensation highly important. It is
noticeable that the employees that are highly appreciated by the leaders (Saeidi et al. 2015). It
has been monitored that providing the employees with proper encouragement and security
helps in increasing their productivity significantly.
Evaluation of the evidence demonstrating a link between HPW and competitive advantage
The link between the high productivity is directly linked with the process of gaining competitive
advantage of the organization. It is easily understandable that the organizations that have
succeed in implementing the HPW system are more prone to gain competitive advantage
(Eccles, Ioannou and Serafeim 2014). Higher productivity and effective organizational
environment are highly related. The organizations that has implemented HPW framework is
seen to be functioning more effectively. Not only the productivity of the employees, but also
overall functioning of the organization. As a result, the company gains a competitive advantage
over other organizations. Hence, it is noticeable that the organizations now a days are
perceiving HPW as a medium of gaining competitive advantage. Moreover, the HPW practices
ensures the recruitment of efficient and skilled workforce. Training procedures and employee
appreciations are also included in the HPW framework. Moreover, the HPW system also focuses
on the stakeholders and works toward their benefits. All of these aspects are highly influential in
gaining competitive advantages over other organizations (Jensen, Patel and Messersmith 2013).
Moreover, it can also be understood that the organizations that are taking up high performance
work systems, becomes more efficient in performing organizational activities. As these
organizations are capable of identifying the organizational needs and market demands, they
take up initiatives to appoint employees who have the aligned skills. Moreover, these
organizations focuses on training and staff retention policies. Hence, it can easily
understandable that the organizations that take up HPWS are more efficient in addressing the
needs of both their employees as well as stakeholders while being highly productive. This
ensures a competitive advantage for the organizations.
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 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
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Evaluation of the evidence demonstrating a link between HPW and sustainable organisational
performance
It is widely known that the organizational sustainability depends on various aspects. In order to
maintain a sustainable organizational performance an organization needs to focus on multiple
aspects such as building employee friendly working culture, employment of strategies that will
be beneficial for the stakeholders, as well as maintaining the environmental sustainability (Jiang
and Liu 2015). Moreover, in order to gain a competitive advantage, organizations aim at gaining
competitive advantages. In this regard, it can be said that the organizations need to maintain
organizational, financial and environmental sustenance. The human resource management of an
organization play highly significant role in implementing the strategies that are important fpr
maintaining organizational sustenance.
Section 2 References
Ensure that every reference included here is sign-posted in your report
Eccles, R.G., Ioannou, I. and Serafeim, G., 2014. The impact of corporate sustainability on
organizational processes and performance. Management Science, 60(11), pp.2835-2857.
Jensen, J.M., Patel, P.C. and Messersmith, J.G., 2013. High-performance work systems and job
control: Consequences for anxiety, role overload, and turnover intentions. Journal of
Management, 39(6), pp.1699-1724.
Jiang, J.Y. and Liu, C.W., 2015. High performance work systems and organizational effectiveness:
The mediating role of social capital. Human Resource Management Review, 25(1), pp.126-137.
Kehoe, R.R. and Wright, P.M., 2013. The impact of high-performance human resource practices
on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. Journal of management, 39(2), pp.366-391.
Kim, W., Kolb, J.A. and Kim, T., 2013. The relationship between work engagement and
performance: A review of empirical literature and a proposed research agenda. Human
Resource Development Review, 12(3), pp.248-276.
Kooij, D.T., Guest, D.E., Clinton, M., Knight, T., Jansen, P.G. and Dikkers, J.S., 2013. How the
impact of HR practices on employee well being and performance changes with age.‐ Human
Resource Management Journal, 23(1), pp.18-35.
Patel, P.C., Messersmith, J.G. and Lepak, D.P., 2013. Walking the tightrope: An assessment of the
relationship between high-performance work systems and organizational ambidexterity.
Academy of Management Journal, 56(5), pp.1420-1442.
Posthuma, R.A., Campion, M.C., Masimova, M. and Campion, M.A., 2013. A high performance
work practices taxonomy: Integrating the literature and directing future research. Journal of
Management, 39(5), pp.1184-1220.
Saeidi, S.P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S.P. and Saaeidi, S.A., 2015. How does corporate social
responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive
advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction. Journal of business research, 68(2), pp.341-
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 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
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350.
Shin, D. and Konrad, A.M., 2017. Causality between high-performance work systems and
organizational performance. Journal of Management, 43(4), pp.973-997.
Appendices
Type here:
Section 3 CPD (approx. 200 words)
CPD Record – what key things have you learned from undertaking this assignment?
By taking up the assignment, I have learned about the High Performance Work and its
importance in maintaining efficient organizational functioning. In the initial stages of the
assignment, while doing the research I understood the aspects of high performance work
system and the way it is related to the human resource practices. Moreover, the assignment has
enabled me to gain knowledge about the benefits of taking up high performance work
framework in an organization. From the research it has been known that the organizations that
take up HPW practices are able to identify the potentially beneficial jobs that an organization
needs to take up. Moreover, it enables the organization to employ efficient and skilled labors
that can help the in maintaining high production. Moreover, the HPW system enables the
organization to come up HR practices that are helpful in order to provide training to the
employees as well as providing them with facilities. These practices help in increasing the
efficiency of the organization.
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