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Does high-performance work system bring job satisfaction? Exploring the non-linear effect of high-performance work system using the ‘too much of a good thing’ theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2022

Liang Yan ,
Jing Zhao Open the ORCID record for Jing Zhao [Opens in a new window] ,
Qian Zhang  and
Mary D. Sass Open the ORCID record for Mary D. Sass [Opens in a new window]
Liang Yan
Affiliation:
Organizational Management, International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
Jing Zhao*
Affiliation:
International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
Qian Zhang
Affiliation:
International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
Mary D. Sass
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham WA 98007-9075, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Jing Zhao, E-mail: zj199929@snnu.edu.cn
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Abstract

We examine the relationship between high-performance work system (HPWS) and job satisfaction, drawing on the ‘too much of a good thing’ theory, to establish whether a non-linear relationship can explain conflicts in previous findings. Moreover, we extend the study by exploring the mediating role of work overload and the moderating role of person–organization fit (P–O fit). Based on a cross-sectional data set of 220 employees and a longitudinal data set of 373 employees from organizations in China, the empirical findings show an inverted U-shaped relationship between HPWS and job satisfaction. Results also indicate that the relationship between HPWS and job satisfaction is fully mediated by work overload, and that P–O fit negatively moderates HPWS-work overload and HPWS-job satisfaction relationships. These results shed new light on how HPWS impacts employee outcomes and practical implications for managers are discussed.

Keywords

High-performance work systemjob satisfactionperson–organization fittoo much of a good thing theorywork overload
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , First View , pp. 1 - 25
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management

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