The effect of HRM and managerial practices on employee performance and well-being: Two empirical studies in China

Various underlying factors have been found to enhance employee performance, and employee well-being is one of the most critical if not the most critical. Yet, few empirical studies have been conducted to examine the underlying mechanism driving both employee performance and well-being, especially in the context of China. This study builds on the existing literature to propose a set of hypotheses about how HRM practice like performance management practice (PMP) and managerial practice like managerial coaching (MC) affect employee well-being (EWB) and happiness, and ultimately affect employee performance (EP).
To test the hypotheses, two empirical studies were conducted in China. Both studies employed a survey approach. Study 1 was conducted from 2022 to 2023, collecting data from 68 respondents of a high-tech company in China, and collecting 26 respondents via social media (WeChat in China). Study 2 was conducted in 2024, collecting survey data from 232 respondents via social media (WeChat and ZhiHu in China). The questionnaire of Study 1 consisted of 70 questions, and Study 2 consisted of 30 questions. The dependent variable was employee performance, and the mediating variables were employee well-being / happiness at work and trust in supervisor in both Study 1 and Study 2.
The survey data underwent rigorous analysis by applying statistics software such as SPSS and Mplus. The findings affirmed the validity of both proposed hypothesized models. The primary objective of this research was to identify effective HRM practices and managerial practices to boost employee performance as well as to foster employee well-being. The research outcomes offered a valuable reference for HR professionals to design performance management practice, and also for managers to win the trust from their employees by implementing performance management practice as well as demonstrating coaching behaviour and caring about their employees’ well-being in their daily management.