A Study into the Mechanism of How High-performance Work System Influences Employee Proactive Behaviors： A Cross-level Model Based on Social Context Theory

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years, proactive behavior has become an important research topic in the field of organizational behavior. Based on social context theory, this paper intends to explore the influence mechanism between high-performance work system and employee proactive behavior.
We collect data from 110 senior managers, 110 human resources managers and 1105 employees. Research results show that high-performance work systems have a positive effect on proactive behaviors and employee relations climate fully mediates the relationship. And, environment uncertainty plays a moderating role in the relationship between high-performance work systems and employee relations climate such that the relationship between high-performance work systems and employee relations climate will be weaker when environmental uncertainty is high rather than low.
This study contributes to both strategic human resource management and proactive behaviors literature. By examining the mediating role of employee relations climate, this study investigates the mechanism between high-performance work system and employee proactive behavior. Furthermore, the paper considers the effect of environmental uncertainty, thus extending the boundary conditions of proactive behaviors.

Key words: proactive behaviors, high performance work systems, employee relations climate, environmental uncertainty

Cao Man, Xi Meng, Zhao Shuming. A Study into the Mechanism of How High-performance Work System Influences Employee Proactive Behaviors： A Cross-level Model Based on Social Context Theory[J]. Management Review, 2020, 32(6): 244-254.

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