High-Involvement Work Practices: Are They Really Worth It?

Mills, M. J. (2009) High-involvement practices: Are they really worth it? Academy of Management Perspectives, Aug2009, Vol. 23 Issue 3, p93-95, 3p. Retrieved April 19, 2010 from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.waterfield.murraystate.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&hid=13&sid=04b8f0fc-ce86-4ab6-a239-f8fac637eaef%40sessionmgr13

This research brief was written by doctoral candidate, Maura Mills and KSU assistant professor, Satoris Culbertson, and summarizes a recent study done by Marcus Butts et al. from the University of Georgia. Their study focused on the results realized by firms that practice increased employee participation in decision making and other high-involvement work practices. These practices consist of four elements: giving employees more control over decision making, increasing employee access to information, rewarding high-performing employees, and supporting development opportunities for employees. The purpose of the study was to examine the notion that high-involvement work practices produce feelings of empowerment, which leads to greater job satisfaction, greater organizational commitment, lower stress, and improved job performance. They concluded that high-involvement work practices do heighten an employee’s autonomy, which results in increased feelings of empowerment. They also concluded that empowered employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, be more committed to the company, and have better job performance, all of which leads to improved overall results for the firm as well. So high-involvement practices are seen as a good practice for firms to employ. This study is important for managers to understand because having employees with a high amount of job satisfaction is important to firms that are interested in recruiting and retaining the best employees.