High-performance Work Systems and Affective Commitment: The Mediating Role of Job Embeddedness and Perceived Organizational Support Priyanka Thakral 1 , Sanket Sunand Dash 1 , Dheeraj Sharma 2 and Koustab Ghosh 1 Abstract High-performance work systems (HPWS) are critical for fostering an effective and efficient environment for superior organizational outcomes. HPWS have been positively linked with various outcomes like employee engagement, productivity, organizational performance, job satisfaction, and employee com- mitment. However, past literature has scant research on mediators that link HPWS with its outcomes. Therefore, this article investigates how HPWS impacts the affective commitment (AC) of employees. By utilizing social exchange theory (SET), we propose that HPWS positively impacts AC through the mediating role of job embeddedness (JE). Further, drawing from organizational support theory, it is also postulated that the relationship between HPWS and AC is mediated by perceived organizational sup- port (POS). We surveyed 332 full-time employees. The analysis utilized structural equation modeling. The findings state that JE and POS mediate the impact of HPWS on employees’ AC. The contribution of the study lies in explaining the mechanisms through which HPWS leads to AC among employees. The study gives organizations the valuable knowledge that HPWS is a widely used framework, and organiza- tions should concentrate on its successful implementation. The study offers managers valuable insights into the significance of effectively adopting HPWS. Keywords Affective commitment, high-performance work systems, job embeddedness, perceived organizational support Introduction Human resource management (HRM) practices lead to organizations’ competitive advantage by enhanc- ing workplace performance (Kaushik & Mukherjee, 2021). One such HRM practice is high-performance Article Corresponding author: Priyanka Thakral, Department of Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management, Indian Institute of Management Rohtak, Management City NH-10 Southern Bypass, Sunaria, Rohtak, Haryana 124010, India. E-mail: dpm09.017@iimrohtak.ac.in 1 Department of Organizational Behaviour & Human Resource Management, Indian Institute of Management Rohtak, Haryana, India 2 Department of Marketing and Strategy, Indian Institute of Management Rohtak, Haryana, India Business Perspectives and Research 1–16 © 2025 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Reprints and permissions: in.sagepub.com/journals-permissions-india DOI: 10.1177/22785337251316387 journals.sagepub.com/home/bpr