High-performance work practices and hotel employee outcomes: The mediating role of career adaptability

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test career adaptability (CA) as an underlying mechanism linking high-performance work practices (HPWPs) to met expectations, creative performance and extra-role performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 313 customer-contact employees two weeks apart in three waves in the hotel industry in Iran. The proposed relationships were tested via structural equation modeling. Findings Employees who perceive that management offers various HPWPs display elevated levels of CA. These employees in turn find that their jobs have met their expectations. They exhibit higher creative and extra-role performances. In short, CA is a mediator between HPWPs and the aforementioned employee outcomes. Practical implications Management should invest in HPWPs to enable employees to manage various work- and career-related demands. Management should also create an environment where employees can take advantage of career opportunities for growth and development. In this environment, employees can prepare themselves for the future in the current organization and gain new skills. Originality/value What is known about the factors influencing Savickas's (2005) notion of CA and CA influencing various employee outcomes is limited.