HIGH-PERFORMANCE WORK SYSTEMS AND INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLES OF JOB SATISFACTION, AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT IN PUBLIC-SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) and individual performance, with particular focus on the mediating roles of job satisfaction, affective commitment, and psychological empowerment. The study was conducted in bureaucratic public-sector organizations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from employees using a structured questionnaire. A total of 346 valid responses were included in the final analysis. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS and AMOS through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation, regression, and mediation analysis. The findings revealed that HPWS had a significant positive effect on individual performance. HPWS also demonstrated significant positive relationships with job satisfaction, affective commitment, and psychological empowerment. Furthermore, job satisfaction, affective commitment, and psychological empowerment were positively associated with individual performance. The mediation analysis showed that all three variables significantly mediated the relationship between HPWS and individual performance, as the bootstrap confidence intervals for the indirect effects did not include zero. The direct effect of HPWS on individual performance remained significant after including the mediators, indicating partial mediation. The findings suggest that effective HR practices can improve individual performance not only directly but also by enhancing employees’ job satisfaction, affective commitment, and psychological empowerment. The study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms through which HPWS influences employee performance in bureaucratic public-sector organizations.