The inevitability for HR professionals to perform at their best, being creative and effective is very crucial in gaining sustainable competitive advantage in the 21st century. Likewise, HR professionals have to successfully manage human resources, need personal credibility and business knowledge, understanding of the business strategies, adapting with technology changes and the ability to deliver HR services. Despite there being a substantial amount of discussion about HR professionals' effectiveness, which is featuring massive challenges and opportunities in this innovative age, there is a paucity of information concerning the extent of this subject matter in Pakistan. Therefore, the current study responded to fill this research gap in the context of Pakistan. This research surveyed 40 HR professionals in five techno-based firms in Pakistan. Data were analysed through SEM-PLS. The findings of the study showed that high performance work system significantly influences HR professionals' effectiveness. The study contributed to RBV theory by taking HR professionals' effectiveness as a source of competitive advantage for a firm. The study is also important for HR practitioners and organisations as it highlights the importance of comprehensive HR system, i.e. high performance work system to boost HR professionals' effectiveness to sustain competitive advantage.
