Able, willing and knowing. The effects of HR practices on commitment and effort in 26 European countries

This study extends previous studies of human resource practices by examining how organizational commitment and work effort are related to the use of HR practices enhancing discretion and skills based on international comparative survey data from 26 European countries. By analyzing individual level data instead of the organizational level data that are examined in prior studies, this article allows to investigate whether and how employee perceptions of HR practices are related to their attitudes and behavior. The multilevel analyses largely support the hypotheses that both the intensity and the consistency of these HR practices contribute to organizational commitment and work effort since it enhances the ability of employees, their willingness to cooperate and informs them about the expectations of the organization.