High Performance Work Practices, Collective Quits and Workplace Cynicism

Abstract

HR practices are intended to influence employee and organizational performance, including the level of employee quits. We examine the role of workplace climate as a boundary condition on the HR practices - collective quits relationship. We argue that workplace climate affects the receptivity of a workforce to the signals of HR, explaining why the effectiveness of HR practices in managing collective quits varies across organizations. Our focus is on a negative workplace climate (“cynical workplace climate”) where employees are distrustful of management’s motives. We find, using data from 1,733 employees in 57 organizations, that where there is a low cynicism climate, HR practices are more lik..