High Performance Work Practices: Work Intensification or 'Win-win'?

Abstract

Research in the 1990s on High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) provided a wide range\nof positive results for organisational performance. Adding to these early studies in the US\nare similar findings from other countries. However, recent research evidence, especially that\ncoming from the labour process tradition and research projects that look specifically at the\nimpact of lean production on workers, appears to suggest that HPWPs are likely to lead to\nwork intensification and not performance. This current paper examines the relative\nstrengths of the opposing claims. There appears to be evidence of both positive and\nnegative impact on workers. Through the use of two case studies, this paper argues that,\nwhen attention is paid to workers’ intrinsic job satisfaction, there are positive outcomes\nfrom HPWPs for employees as well as organisations.