HRM systems and employee affective commitment: the role of employee gender

Abstract

Purpose

Despite decades of studies on high-involvement human resource management (HRM) systems, questions remain of whether high-involvement HRM systems can increase the commitment of women. This study aims to contribute to the growing body of research on the cross-level effect of HRM systems and practices on employee affective commitment by considering the moderating role of gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Integrating social exchange theory with gender role theory, this paper proposes that gender responses to HRM practices can be different. The hypotheses were tested using data from 104 small- and medium-sized retail enterprises and 6,320 employees from Spain.

Findings

The findings generally support the study’s hypotheses, with women’s affective commitment responding more strongly and positively to employees’ aggregated perceptions of a shop-level high-involvement HRM system. The findings imply that a high-involvement HRM system can promote the affective commitment of women.

Originality/value

This study investigates the impact of both an overall HRM system and function-specific HRM sub-systems (e.g. training, information, participation and autonomy). By showing that women can be more positively affected by high-involvement HRM systems, this paper suggests that high-involvement HRM systems can be used to encourage the involvement and participation of women.

Citation

Shin, D., Garmendia, A., Ali, M., Konrad, A.M. and Madinabeitia-Olabarria, D. (2020), "HRM systems and employee affective commitment: the role of employee gender", Gender in Management, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 189-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-04-2019-0053