High Performance Working: Concept, Components, Barriers and Evaluation

 Assignment – 5IVP - Part A
This assignment must be submitted through Online Services
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
This assignment must be submitted through Online Services
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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