High involvement management and human resource sustainability: The challenges and opportunities

This article will outline a number of issues for organisations to consider when pursuing sustainable high performance workplace outcomes through high involvement management (HIM) initiatives and identifies those outcomes which reinforce corporate profitability and corporate survival, and those that satisfy employee aspirations and needs in the workplace. Organisational reform in Australia has resulted in a greater focus on relations between management and employees at organisational and workplace level. The stimulus has been the search for greater efficiency and productivity. Leaders in government, business and unions have agreed that improved human resource management (HRM) is pivotal, but such views have not necessarily been matched by the commitment of management attention, time and resources to HRM at the workplace. Evidence suggests that high-quality employee participation and involvement at the workplace constitutes a HIM approach leading to greater organisational productivity and effectiveness. However, it is also acknowledged that a high performance workplace approach through the application of HIM strategy poses a number of challenges and dangers which need to be addressed.