ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO.

1, JANUARY 2012 31

The Link between Perceptions of Human

Resource Management Practices and
Employee Well-being at Work
Sónia P. Gonçalves and José Neves

 important outcome of management practices, there are other

Abstract – The literature review shows that little is known aspects that research may have overlooked, namely the impact
about the relationship between how organizations are managed on employees [2]. Literature in the field of occupational health
through human resource management practices and employee psychology focuses primarily on the individual characteristics
well-being at work. What is known is also inconclusive and
of workers and jobs. Models and studies tend to disregard the
inconsistent. In order to contribute to this field, this research
focuses on the study of the relationship between perceptions of
characteristics of the organization, the way it is managed or its
human resource management practices and well-being at work. practices. Thus, there are two fields of research that have
856 police officers were questioned through a survey to measure hardly been related and, when they actually are, the results are
their perceptions of five human resource management practices inclusive and contradictory. Consequently, with the purpose of
(training, communication, performance appraisal, health minimizing this gap, the current research aims to integrate
promotion, and opportunity to participate) and well-being at these two fields of research by analyzing the relationship
work based on Warr’s perspective (1990). The results reveal, on between perceptions of HRM practices and well-being at
the one hand, a significant positive correlation between HRM work, and the role of perceptions of HRM practices as
practices, comfort, enthusiasm, affective well-being at work, and
predictors of well-being at work.
overall work satisfaction. On the other hand, the results show a
significant negative correlation between perceptions of HRM
practices, depression, and anxiety. Perceived training and A. Human Resource Management Practices
communication practices predict affective well-being, satisfaction
at work, and enthusiasm. This study reinforces the assumption Human resource management plays a key role in the
that the organizational variables have a potential impact on, and strategic management of the organizations. However, it was
should be included in, the models of well-being and interventions not always like that. At first, the term in use was “personnel
at work. In practice, this study points to a number of aspects that administration”, which was later replaced by “personnel
are amenable to intervention to promote well-being at work. management”. Not only does this reflect a change in
terminology but also a changing management paradigm. Guest
Index Terms—human resource management practices, well- [3] elucidates well the differences between Personnel
being, police Management and Human Resource Management based on
different practices and policies. For example, Personnel
I. INTRODUCTION Management tends to assume a short-term and reactive

T HE working world has been facing challenges and

demands at a fast pace. These require a new dynamic
approach to management in which human resources are an
perspective of time and planning, whereas Human Resource
Management assumes a long-term and proactive perspective.
The very passage from the term “personnel” to “human
integral and key factor in the maintenance of competitiveness resources” presents an evolution through which the concepts
and high organizational results. This reality has led research to of “administration”, “costs”, “training” and “collective
look into the human resource management (HRM) practices negotiation” are being replaced by concepts such as
that are associated with a better organizational performance “management”, “individual negotiation” and “teamwork”.
(e.g., [1]). Although organizational performance is an This transformation demonstrates the importance of human
resources as a strategic competitive advantage to the
organization.
Manuscript received on January 31, 2012. This work was supported in part Thus, the term “Human Resource Management” is the
by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT – Lisbon, Portugal)
through a PhD scholarship granted to the first author (ref.
result and reflection of the changes that have been taking place
SFRH/BD/38801/2007). in organizations. One of the first points that stand out in this
Sónia P. Gonçalves is professor at Instituto Piaget and researcher at Centro area is the little consensus on the definition of HRM ([4] [5]).
de Investigação e Intervenção Social (CIS/ISCTE-IUL). Address: Praça Additionally, there is no consensus on which practices
Projectada à Av. Das Forças Armadas, n.º 3, 3.º E, 1600-313 Lisboa, phone:
constitute a coherent HRM system ([6]). For instance, Peccei
+351217903076; fax: +351217903962; e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected]. [2] adopts a comprehensive perspective by defining HRM
José Neves is professor at Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL); systems “as comprising a wide range of practices covering all
e-mail: [email protected].
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 32

main aspects of the management of people in organizations high or low levels of activation (vertical dimension), and these
including, for example, policies and practices in the areas of levels of activation – “state of readiness for action or energy
recruitment and selection, training and development, job expenditure” (p.156) [18] – may be accompanied by different
design, pay and rewards, numerical flexibility, levels of pleasure.
communications and employee welfare” (p.2). Four quadrants can be defined from the combination of the
It is difficult to conceptually define human resource axis of pleasure – (1a) pleasure / (1b) displeasure – with the
management practices in terms of their dimensions, for there is activation level: anxiety (high activation and low pleasure),
little consensus and scarce information on existing research. enthusiasm (high activation and high pleasure), depression
Research has, however, made genuine efforts to identify the (low activation and low pleasure), and comfort (low activation
best HRM practices in the current organizational context (e.g. and high pleasure). These quadrants consequently form two
[7] [1] [8] [9]). orthogonal axes: (2a) anxiety / (2b) comfort and (3a)
The distinction between operational and strategic human depression / (3b) enthusiasm. In the literature, empirical
resource management practices has equally received much studies tend to elaborate on axis 1 of general work satisfaction,
attention from the literature (e.g., [10]): at the operational which is normally operationalized with general satisfaction
level human resource management practices refer to routine regarding work [19].
practices, whereas at a strategic level they refer to practices
that have a long-term impact.
(+) activation
In addition to the debate over the definition, (2a (3b
conceptualization and content of HRM practices, the literature anxiety enthusiasm
has also discussed the importance of objective human
y
resources management and the perceptions of them. In spite of
recognizing the importance of objective practices, some
authors (e.g., [11]) have even reported that employees’ (1a) displeasure (1b) pleasure
individual perceptions of human resource management may
have more impact on performance than policies formerly and
objectively documented, thus showing them to be better
predictors of behavior performance at work (e.g., [12] [13] (3a) (2b
[14]). There is empirical evidence suggesting that employees’ depression comfort
( -) activation
outlook on HRM practices is the best predictor of the
outcomes associated with these practices [15]. Fig. 1. Conceptualization of affective well-being. Source: Warr (1990)

B. Well-being at Work
The interest in well-being and health in the work context C. Human Resource Management Practices and Well-being
dates back to the first empirical research in industrial and Human resource management practices reveal important
organizational psychology. Special emphasis was given to goals, as well as the behaviors that the organization wants its
Hawthorne’s studies in the 1920s. These studies led to the first workers to display. These practices can also be seen as signs
wave of the human relations school, for they revealed the role that workers can interpret individually [20]. Interpretations can
played by socio-affective variables and also by workers’ differ from worker to worker in view of their differing
satisfaction with their own performance. experiences, values and/or preferences, and can lead to
While recognizing the multiplicity of existing different results. Hence the importance of perceptions of the
conceptualizations and dimensions, this study conceptualizes human resource management practices previously cited [13].
well-being at work as a multidimensional approach with two As mentioned, it is assumed in the literature that little
main dimensions, affective and cognitive, and relies on Warr’s attention has been given to the relationship between human
study given its theoretical and empirical systematization. resource management practices and workers’ well-being.
Affective well-being at work has been identified as an “There is (…) some research (Guest, 2002; Kersley et al.,
indicator of psychological well-being and work-related mental 2006; Peccei, 2004) conducted on HRM practices and well-
health [16]. being of the workforce. Nevertheless, research within this area
According to Warr [17], affective well-being at work can remains relatively untapped” ([21] p.287). Peccei [2] does not
be conceptualized based on two orthogonal dimensions (Fig. disregard the importance of studies on organizational
1): pleasure and activation (“arousal” or “activation”) performance and defines that relationship as the challenge of
associated with work, that is, “we may describe a person’s HRM:
well-being in terms of its location relative to these two “Now issues about organisational performance
dimensions (representing the content of feelings) and its and about the link between HRM and performance are
distance from the mid-point of the figure (such that a more clearly important. Arguably, though, this is a rather one-
distant location indicates a greater intensity)” (p.3). Thus, a sided approach to the analysis of HRM, one that tends to
certain degree of pleasure/ displeasure or satisfaction/ ignore the human factor, the very people that HRM
dissatisfaction (horizontal dimension) may be accompanied by presumably is all about. In particular, it ignores the
impact that HR practices, or more generally, HR
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 33

systems actually have on employees’ quality of working good, the higher the comfort, enthusiasm, affective well-being,
life, on their experienced sense of satisfaction and well- and work satisfaction levels;
being at work. To put it another way, the real challenge H1b: perceptions of human resource management practices
in the field of HRM is not just to understand how HR are negatively associated with anxiety and depression, i.e., the
policies and practices in the areas, for example, of more the respondents perceive human resource management
employee selection, training, job design and rewards can practices as good, the lower the comfort, enthusiasm, affective
help to maximize the productivity and financial well-being, and work satisfaction levels;
performance of the organization. But rather, it is also to H2: the perceptions of HRM practices are significant
understand how different policies and practices in these predictors of well-being at work.
key areas actually affect the people most directly
involved, namely, workers on the shop floor, the so
called ‘human resources’ of Human Resource II. METHOD
Management” (p2).
A. Sample
This author [2] explains the need of studying the impact of The sample includes 856 police officers from seven police
HRM on employees’ well-being based on two reasons: firstly, institutions of which 91.5 % are men. Participants’ mean age
well-being and job satisfaction have shown to be important was 37 years (SD = 8.85). When it comes to years of service,
outcomes in the literature of social sciences – namely the participants’ mean was 13 years (SD = 8.59). More than
organizational behavior, industrial, organizational and 57.2 % of the participants have completed twelve years of
occupational psychology and sociology – when related to other education.
variables; secondly, some authors suggest that workers’
attitudes, behaviors and feelings seem to mediate the
relationship between HRM practices and organizational B. Procedure
performance, thus playing a central role in the explanatory The data were collected through a questionnaire.
models of this relationship. Thereby, Peccei stresses that the Telephone contacts were established with the managers, and
more is known about the relationship between HRM practices both the study and the procedure for collecting the data were
and well-being, the greater the contribution to the debates on explained to them. The questionnaire was distributed and, after
the relationship between HRM practices and organizational a period of approximately four weeks, we collected the
performance. questionnaires that had already been completed, either in
The literature revision on the link between HRM practices person or via internal mail. The response rate was
and well-being at work led to a series of studies ([2] [21] [22] approximately 53 %. The data collection took place from
[23]). Relevant points can be highlighted from these studies. November 2010 to January 2011 in seven police institutions.
The results usually point to positive correlations between
HRM practices and well-being at work (e.g., [21] [22]).
C. Measures
However, studies also show that correlations vary according to
different practices and indicators of well-being, and the Perceptions of human resources management practices
predictor role of HRM practices is not consensual or stable. (predictor variables)
Sometimes theses practices do not prove to be significant The perceptions of human resources management practices
predictors [21], whereas at other times they seem to be were measured based on 25 items organized in five dimensions
important predictors; indeed the explained variance ranges that reflect five operational HRM practices: communication
between 2 % [23] and 78 % [2]. The complexity underlying and access to information practices, which encompass six
this relationship is reflected in the inconclusive and little items (based on Hargie & Tourish [25]) related to sharing and
robust results revealed by the studies. This situation could be accessing information and also to the communication process
due to the variety of measures and conceptualization of HRM between supervisors and colleagues (e.g., “We are encouraged
practices and well-being at work, in addition to the variety of to share information with colleagues”; α=0.89); development-
statistical techniques and control variables that are used in the oriented assessment practices, which incorporate six items
studies. This context makes it difficult to compare studies, and (based on Neves [26]) that address the criteria for performance
that is why the diffusion of knowledge is very slow and evaluation and the feedback process (e.g., “I know the criteria
expressive. This research field is therefore still taking its first by which my performance is evaluated”; α=0.87); health
steps in the search of knowledge and explanations. promotion practices, which integrate five items (based on
Despite the conflicting findings in the literature and Mazzola & Spector [27]) that translate good practices for
conceptualization in the light of the Job Demands-Resources promoting physical and psychological health (e.g., “The
Model [24] and perceptions of [good] HRM practices as institution provides the conditions for physical exercise and
resources, it is expected that: healthy meals”; α=0.89); opportunities for participation,
H1a: perceptions of human resource management practices which include four items (based on Esteves [28]) related to
are positively associated with comfort, enthusiasm, affective participation in decision-making (e.g., “Police officers are
well-being, and work satisfaction, i.e., the more the involved in setting their work objectives”; α=0.88); training
respondents perceive human resource management practices as and development practices, which are based on four items
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 34

(from Neves [26]) regarding the usefulness and applicability of Table I presents the means, correlations and internal
training to the job (e.g., “We can understand how training consistency (measured through the Cronbach’s Alpha) of the
contributes to improving our job performance”, α=0.64). Items variables comprised in the study.
were answered on a six-point Likert scale (1=Never to 6=All The analysis of the results brings out moderate levels of
the time, and 1=Strongly disagree to 6=Strongly agree; the comfort (mean = 3.20), enthusiasm (mean = 3.23), affective
scales of the original authors’ responses were maintained). well-being (mean = 3.64) and work satisfaction (mean = 2.77)
Consistency values show reasonable internal consistency for as well as low levels of depression (mean = 2.51). The results
performing the analysis. show that participants have high levels of perceived stress
(mean = 3.73) and self-efficacy (mean = 4.1). HRM practices
Well-being at work (criterion variable) present very low values. However, training and development
As previously mentioned we theorize well-being at work practices (mean = 3.618) are the ones with the highest values
based on Peter Warr’s [17] perspective. So we use the while health promotion practices present the lowest values
indicator of well-being at work as developed by this author, (mean = 2.10).
that is the IWP Multi-Affect Indicator, which is formed by 12 The general pattern of correlations between HRM practices
items measured on a 6-point Likert scale (1=Never to 6=All and well-being reveals positive associations with positive
the time). Based on previous analyses (e.g., [29]) we chose to indicators of well-being (comfort, enthusiasm, affective well-
use the latent variables represented in these structures and being, and work satisfaction) and negative associations with
obtained through the mean of the corresponding items: anxiety negative indicators (anxiety and depression). The strongest
(α= 0.89), comfort (α= 0.87), depression (α= 0.90), enthusiasm correlations are found between the perceptions of HRM
(α= 0.91), and affective well-being (α= 0.65). Higher levels of practices, work satisfaction and enthusiasm. That said,
affective well-being translate higher well-being. One single hypotheses 1a and 1b are confirmed. The highest correlation is
item was also used to measure work satisfaction (“Overall, and between performance evaluation practices and work
considering all aspects of your work, you would say that you satisfaction (r =. 42, p <0.01). The pattern of results between
are ...”, which was answered on a five-point Likert scale [1 = practices, depression and anxiety revealed negative
not at all satisfied to 5 = very satisfied]). correlations especially concerning the relationship between
training and development practices and depression (r =-. 22, p
<.001). There were no significant correlations between these
Control variables
two dimensions of well-being and health promotion practices.
Participants have also responded to a set of socio-
The perceived self-efficacy reveals positive correlations with
demographic variables through the scale of perceived
comfort, enthusiasm, affective well-being, work satisfaction,
occupational self-efficacy (Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale of
and also with the five HRM practices, and negative
Rigotti, Schyns & Mohr [30]). It is composed of six items
associations with perceived stress, anxiety and depression. The
answered on a five-point Likert scale where 1=Strongly
perceived stress reveals a pattern of results opposite to self-
disagree and 6=Strongly agree (e.g. “Normally, I deal fine with
efficacy.
any obstacle that arises in my work”, α=0.89). Participants
have also responded to an item that aims to assess overall
perceived work stress (“In general, to what extent do you think B. Analysis of the Predictor Role of Human Resource
your work causes anxiety, discomfort or stress?”). It was Management Practices
answered on a five-point Likert scale where 1 means “Nothing After validating the regression model assumptions,
generates stress” and 5 means “It generates extreme stress” hierarchical regression analyses were carried out so as to test
(adapted from Marques Pinto [31]). the relationship between five variables (communication and
These variables were included in the analysis of the information access practices, development-oriented
prediction of well-being as control variables, given their performance practices, opportunities for participation, health
relevance in previous studies in predicting well-being (e.g., promotion practices, and training and development practices)
[17] [36] [37]) and in allowing for an incremental approach to and the criterion variables (well-being at work and their
understand the contribution of HRM practices. dimensions). In the regression equation, socio-demographic
variables, perceived self-efficacy and perceived occupational
stress were controlled.
III. RESULTS The five predictor variables and the control variables
entered separately into the hierarchical regression equation so
A. Descriptive Statistics, Correlations and Internal
as to allow the individual analysis of each contribution to
Consistency
explain employee well-being at work.
In a previous phase the Harman’s test was performed to Six regression equations were performed, one for each
ensure the dimensionality of all the variables and the resistance available criterion. The results are summarized in Table II.
to the effects of the common method [32].
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 35

TABLE I
DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS, CORRELATIONS AND INTERNAL CONSISTENCY OF THE VARIABLES UNDER STUDY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
a
1.Anxiety (.89)
2.Comforta -.33** (.87)
3.Depressiona .65** -.29** (.90)
a **
4.Enthusiasm -.28 .62* -.30** (.91)
5. Affective well-beinga -.77** .76** -.73** .71** (.66)
b ** ** **
6. Overall work satisfaction -.33 .28 -.34 .45** .46** (n.a.)
b
7.Perceived self-efficacy -.12** .18** -.25** .18** .24** .22** (.89)
b ** ** ** ** **
8.Perceived occupational stress .42 -.28 .31 -.26 -.44 -.23** -.04 (n.a.)
a ** ** ** ** **
9.Training and development practices -.16 .22 -.22 .28 .28 .35** .29** -.08* (.64)
a ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
10.Communication practices -.15 .12 -.17 .29 .22 .42 .10 -.09 .34** (.89)
a * ** ** ** ** ** **
11.Participation practices -.09 .16 -.05 .35 .21 .37 .16 -.17 .32** .47** (.88)
12.Health promotion practices -.05 .16** .03 .26** .15** .31** .09** -.14** .26** .32** .52** (.89)
* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
13.Performance evaluation practices -.08 .17 -.10 .32 .21 .42 .13 -.16 .36 .48** .61** .46** (.87)
Mean 3.12 3.20 2.51 3.23 3.64 2.77 4.13 3.73 3.618 2.99 2.52 2.10 2.57
Standard deviation 1.08 1.06 1.20 1.19 .69 .83 .86 .96 .91 .89 1.11 1.08 .83
a b
Note. Response scales from 1 to 6; Response scales from 1 to 5; **p<0.01; *p<0.05; n.a. = not applicable; on the diagonal in
parentheses, Cronbach’s Alpha presents good internal consistency.

The analysis of model 1 for each regression indicates that practices is the best predictor of well-being (β = .14, p <.01),
perceived self-efficacy and perceived occupational stress are followed by the perception of communication practices (β =
significant predictors of the five criterion variables. They .190, p <.01).
contribute extensively to the explained variance of criterion Finally, in relation to work satisfaction results show that
variables (see lines corresponding to the betas of these from model 1 (composed of the control variables) to model 2
variables and to R2 Adjust. of model 1). (which includes the predictors, i.e., HRM practices), there was
In contrast, the observation of model 2 reveals that the a significant increase in explained variance of work
inclusion of perceptions of human resources management satisfaction of approximately 20 %. Perception of
practices in the regression equation contributes, though communication practices and access to information (β = .244,
modestly, to explaining variance in criterion variables (see ∆R2 p <.01) are the strongest predictor, followed by practical
and ∆F lines of model 2). training and development (β =. 149, p <.01), the development-
In the case of anxiety, the inclusion of predictor variables oriented performance appraisal practices (β = .130, p <.05),
increases 3 % of the explained variance. Perceptions of both and finally the practices of health promotion (β = .085, p
training and development practices (β=-.14, p<.01) and <.05).
communication practices (β= -.11, p<.01) are responsible for
this increase and are significant predictors of this indicator. In order to systematize the regressions, findings are
As far as depression is concerned, three predictors were presented in Table III. The training and development practices
considered to explain the 7 % increase of the total variance. are significant and consistent predictors of well-being at work,
The stronger predictor is the perception of communication whereas communication practices and access to information
practices (β=-.19, p<.01) followed by training and failed to significantly predict comfort. Performance evaluation
development practices (β=-.16, p<.01). Participation practices practices seem to be relevant in terms of a more cognitive
(β=.12, p<.05) and health promotion practices (β=.12, p<.05) dimension of well-being. Health promotion practices show an
are also significant predictors but with positive signal. asymmetric behavior in the prediction of two dimensions of
As regards enthusiasm, results indicate that from model 1 well-being at work. On the one hand, they are a positive
(composed of the control variables) to model 2 (which
predictor of depression, and on the other they are a negative
includes the predictors), there was a significant increase in
predictor of work satisfaction. The same happens with the
explained variance of approximately 12 %. The results show
opportunity to share practices, which positively predict
that the perception of training and development practices (β =.
12, p <.01) is the strongest predictor, followed by depression and enthusiasm.
communication practices and access to information (β =. 13, p
<.01) and, finally, the opportunity for participation practices (β
=. 11, p <.05).
Concerning affective well-being at work there was a
significant increase in explained variance of about 6 %. The
results show that the perception of training and development
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 36

TABLE II
PREDICTION OF WELL-BEING AT WORK

Overall work
Anxiety Depression Comfort Enthusiasm Affective well-being
satisfaction
Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta

Model Gender (1=man) .02 .04 .07 .07 .03 .03

1 Age .032 .03 -.09 .04 -.05 .05
Tenure .01 .04 .08 .06 .03 .02
Work organization -.05 .00 .02 .15** .06 .07
Perceived occupational self-efficacy -.06 -.21** .18** .21** .20** .18**
Perceived occupational stress .46** .31** -.30** -.26** -.45** -.25**
R2 Ajust. .22 .15 .13 .12 .25 .10
∆ R2 .22 .16 .14 .13 .26 .10
∆F 32.63** 20.81** 17.96** 17.23** 39.50** 12.99**
Model Gender (1=man) .01 .04 .07 .05 .02 .01
2 Age .08 .08 -.12 .01 -.11 .00
Tenure -.02 .00 .08 .02 .04 -.01
Work organization -.069 .00 .03 .13** .07 .05
Perceived occupational self-efficacy -.04 -.18** .15** .14** .15** .11*
Perceived occupational stress .45** .30** -.27** -.19** -.42** -.17**
Training and development practicesa -.14** -.16** .12* .14** .19** .15**
Communication practicesa -.11** -.19** .04 .13** .14* .24**
Participation practicesa .06 .12* -.01 .11* -.03 .02
a
Health promotion practices .02 .12* .07 .06 .00 .08*
Performance evaluation practicesa .06 -.00 .02 .06 .00 .13*
R2 Ajust. .24 .21 .15 .24 .31 .30
2
∆R .03 .07 .03 .12 .06 .20
∆F 5.15** 11.81** 4.50** 22.21** 11.97** 38.61**
Note. **p<.01; *p<.05; predictor variables with significant effect are marked in bold.

TABLE III
SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE PREDICTION OF WELL-BEING AT WORK
Affective Overall work
Anxiety Depression Comfort Enthusiasm
well-being satisfaction
Training and development practices X X X X X X
Communication practices X X X X X
Participation practices X X
Health promotion practices X X
Performance evaluation practices X
Note. X= practice is a significant predictor
practices, since the results of this study indicate moderate
IV. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS values of well-being at work and low values in the perceptions
Studies on the relationship between HRM practices and of good human resources management practices.
well-being at work are still scarce compared to other outcomes Regarding employees’ perceptions of human resources
of HRM practices and other predictors of well-being at work management practices, results indicate that the best practices
that have been object of study. In order to help minimize these are not yet present in this activity sector. Thereby, they are
shortcomings the present research aimed to study the emphasized as critical dimensions given their lower values in
relationship between perceptions of HRM practices and well- terms of health promotion practices, development-oriented
being at work. To achieve this goal, the data on the variables performance evaluation practices, and opportunities for
involved were collected via a survey of police officers. participation. Apparently, the most developed dimension
The descriptive statistics analysis confirms the path to seems to be the training practices as well as communication
follow to promote workers’ well-being and positive HRM and access to information practices, despite their lower
expression levels. It should be noted that previous studies with
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 37

foreign police organizations reported the performance The results also support the literature on the important role
evaluation practices to be a critical point [33]. This sector of of self-efficacy [36] and stress [37] in well-being at work, as
activity seems to still have a long way to go in relation to the well as the notion that perceived stress is one of the best
improvement of its perceived practices. Consequently, results predictors of well-being [37].
indicate that there may be a gap between what is prescribed by The results underline once again Warr’s assumption [19] in
law and what is actually implemented or, at least, perceived by connection with the multidimensional view of well-being at
human resources. In this field, it would make sense in the work, for its dimensions present different patterns of
future a more thorough analysis of the practices prescribed in predictors.
legislation, those intentionally implemented by the In the future, the relationship between perceptions of HRM
organizations and the way they are perceived by professionals, practices and well-being at work should be explored in terms
as well as the congruence between these views and their of potential mediating variables. The literature offers some tips
implications. that may be interesting in the context of this relationship, i.e.,
The results of this study confirm hypothesis 1a which is mediating variables that have shown the relationship between
related to the positive relationship between HRM practices and perceptions of HRM practices and workers’ attitudes and
positive indicators of well-being at work (comfort, enthusiasm behaviors. For example, individual-organization adjustment
and work satisfaction), as well as hypothesis 1b, which is proved to be a partial mediator in the relationship between
linked to the negative relationship between HRM and negative perceptions of HRM practices and organizational commitment,
indicators of well-being at work (anxiety and depression). and organizational citizenship behavior [38]. Individual’s job
Hence, the more employees understand the usefulness and adjustment also revealed to be a partial mediator in the
applicability of training to the work and perceive the relationship between perceptions of HRM practices and both
communicational process as clear, encouraged and shared, the the intent to leave the organization and work satisfaction [38].
lower their levels of anxiety and the greater their enthusiasm, Even affective commitment proved to be a mediator in the
affective well-being and work satisfaction. The more the relationship between perceptions of HRM practices and
police officers participate in decision-making and associate workers’ behaviors, such as spontaneous behaviors towards the
performance evaluation practices with development, the organization and behaviors to support colleagues and the
greater the comfort, enthusiasm, affective well-being, and quality of work [28].
work satisfaction. This outcome is consistent with previous Thus, future research should be devoted to the study of
studies [21] [22] and with theoretical approaches that argue possible mediators to improve knowledge about the process
that those who perceive more resources (for instance, in terms through which perceptions of HRM practices influence well-
of organizational processes) tend to feel better and report more being at work. Can perceived self-efficacy be a mediator? For
positive attitudinal and affective outcomes [24]. example, can good training be seen as a tool to improve
Despite these relations, it should be noted that the predictor perceived self-efficacy and consequently well-being?
role of hypothesis 2 was only partially supported, because Future research could use more complex data collection
perceptions of HRM practices have a distinctive role with methodologies (e.g., longitudinal designs) and data analysis
regard to each indicator of well-being at work. Therefore, (e.g., multi-level) to provide more insight into this issue. In
results partially support the second hypothesis on the addition, studies should be more conscious of the
predictive role of perceptions of HRM practices. Indeed, conceptualization of well-being at work, using actual measures
perceptions of the practices seem to contribute to a positive of well-being instead of indicators of other constructs, as we
and significant increase of affective well-being at work. did in this study.
Simultaneously, they enhance the consistency of the role of Although the results of this research will help clarify the
perceptions of training practices that are conducive to relationship between perceptions of HRM practices and well-
development and task performance and to both shared and being at work, more research is still needed. The results must
transparent reporting practices. In other studies [34] be interpreted and generalized with caution. Although during
communication practices have also proved to be one of the the preparation and conduction of the study we followed the
best predictors of individual and organizational outcomes. methodological procedures recommended in terms of the
Contributions in explained variance vary between 3 % and construction and application of the instrument, this research is
20 %. This shows moderate but significant contributions which co-relational and cross-sectional. As such it is subject to
reinforce previous studies [23]. various constraints inherent in such studies, given the effects
An unexpected result to be explored in future research is the of the common method [30], but also the fact that it is a self-
positive predictor role of opportunities for participation and report study. It may therefore be associated with some biases
health promotion practices in predicting depression. This deriving from social desirability, random answers, forgery, and
result may be associated with an expectation of increased response style. The results should be read in light of the
responsibility, as hypothesized by Delerye and Shaw [35]. context in which the study was conducted, thus taking into
There are practices that may be likely to place pressure on account that it is a convenience sample. It will be important to
employees resulting from their increased participation in replicate the study in other sectors, in order to improve any
decision-making, increased responsibility, and greater specific area of the activity sector.
ambiguity of role, thus causing negative effects on their health In practical terms, this study shows that police institutions
and well-being. still have a long way to go in terms of their HRM practices and
ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDY VOL. 1, NO. 1, JANUARY 2012 38

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Sónia P. Gonçalves received her Ph.D. in Work and Organizational

Psychology from ISCTE-IUL, Portugal in 2011. She is Professor at Instituto
Piaget and researcher at Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social (CIS-
ISCTE-IUL). The central theme of her research is the area of occupational
health psychology including stress and well-being at work and also the role of
organizational context variables, i.e., organizational culture and human
resource management. She is also a fellow of the European Association of
Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) and Society for Industrial
and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She has several national and
international publications on work-related stress and well-being, burnout,
posttraumatic stress disorders related with work accidents, organizational
culture and human resource management practices.
José Neves is Associate Professor at ISCTE-IUL. He teaches and investigates
issues related to organizational psychology and organizational behavior.
Climate and organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, social
responsibility, occupational well-being and quality of service are his main
areas of interest. Some books and articles published in a variety of magazines
and language demonstrate his scientific and technical production.