Abstract

High-involvement work systems (HIWSs) have been an important organisational aspect in increasing employee job performance. However, the high-involvement work system is often looked at collectively using one dimension instead of through the individual dimensions of the work system. Using the power, information sharing, rewards, and knowledge (PIRK) model, the present cross-lagged study aims to examine the influence of the individual dimensions of the PIRK model on employees’ opportunities for skill development and emotional job demands, subsequent quality of work (QoW) and the processes involved. This quantitative cross-lagged study involved 120 New Zealand (NZ) employees (80.8% female; mean age = 32.4 years) from various industries. The results showed a significant positive effect of opportunities for skill development on employees’ QoW. In addition, the four dimensions of the PIRK model had significant positive effects on opportunities for skill development. However, only the information-sharing and knowledge dimensions produced a significant negative effect on emotional job demands. Opportunities for skill development mediated the relationship between the four dimensions of the PIRK model and employees’ QoW, whereas emotional job demands only mediated the relationship between the information-sharing and knowledge dimensions of the PIRK model and employees’ QoW. This study contributes to the limited cross-lagged and longitudinal research on human resource work systems and provides empirical evidence on the role of the organisational work system in supporting employee QoW through opportunities for skill development and emotional job demands.

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