The competitive environment of universities has increased the application of managerial practices such as human resource management. However, little research exists regarding the effects of these practices on knowledge workers. The study attempts to contribute to fill this gap, examining the effect of high-performance work practices (HPWP) on academic research productivity (ARP). A survey was completed by 442 researchers and the analysis supported a positive relationship between the adoption of HPWP and ARP. Specifically, HPWP promoting education, training and autonomy, and teamwork are better antecedents of ARP than practices focusing on performance management, reward systems, and selection.