Human resource management system strength in times of crisis

In times of crisis, employees turn to their managers for information and guidance. When managers share distinctive, consistent, and consensual information (also known as human resource management [HRM] system strength), it is easier for employees to make sense of the information and understand what is expected from them. To date, research has mainly focused on the outcomes of HRM system strength but has remained silent on its antecedents. Thus, we know little about the factors that influence managers when sharing information with their employees. Drawing on insights from research on HRM system strength, attribution, and cross-cultural fields, we suggest that the interaction between managers' motivation (i.e., the severity of a crisis and an organization's reputation) and their general beliefs (i.e., national cultural values: uncertainty avoidance and power distance) can explain HRM system strength in times of crisis. To test our hypotheses, we used HLM to analyze a three-level sample of 368 bi-weekly observations nested in 34 universities within 15 countries. Results show that the positive effects of crisis severity and an organization's reputation on the employment of HRM system strength were stronger in high uncertainty avoidance countries, but weaker in high power distance countries. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Automated summary

During times of crisis, employees look to their managers for information and guidance. Sharing distinctive, consistent, and consensual information, also known as human resource management (HRM) system strength, makes it easier for employees to understand their roles. This study explores the factors that influence managers when sharing information with employees, and suggests that the interaction between managers' motivation and their cultural values can explain HRM system strength in times of crisis. The findings indicate that crisis severity and organization reputation have stronger effects on HRM system strength in countries with high uncertainty avoidance, but weaker effects in countries with high power distance. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.