High-Performance Work Systems and Proactive Behavior: The Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment

Drawing on social exchange theory, this study explores the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and proactive work behavior. We also examined whether psychological empowerment mediated the effects of HPWS on employees’ proactive behavior. Using a sample of 247 employees employed by three large manufacturing firms in Bangladesh, results from structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analyses showed that HPWS was positively related to proactive behavior. The results also suggested that psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between HPWS and proactive behavior. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.