diff --git a/cmd/kubelet/app/init_windows.go b/cmd/kubelet/app/init_windows.go
index 3b8ef098cdb..1696f0431b6 100644
--- a/cmd/kubelet/app/init_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/kubelet/app/init_windows.go
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ package app
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"unsafe"
 
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/windows/service"
@@ -35,28 +37,56 @@ const (
 // Ref: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/setpriority-method-in-class-win32-process
 func getPriorityValue(priorityClassName string) uint32 {
 	var priorityClassMap = map[string]uint32{
-		"IDLE_PRIORITY_CLASS":         uint32(64),
-		"BELOW_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS": uint32(16384),
-		"NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS":       uint32(32),
-		"ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS": uint32(32768),
-		"HIGH_PRIORITY_CLASS":         uint32(128),
-		"REALTIME_PRIORITY_CLASS":     uint32(256),
+		"IDLE_PRIORITY_CLASS":         uint32(windows.IDLE_PRIORITY_CLASS),
+		"BELOW_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS": uint32(windows.BELOW_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS),
+		"NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS":       uint32(windows.NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS),
+		"ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS": uint32(windows.ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS),
+		"HIGH_PRIORITY_CLASS":         uint32(windows.HIGH_PRIORITY_CLASS),
+		"REALTIME_PRIORITY_CLASS":     uint32(windows.REALTIME_PRIORITY_CLASS),
 	}
 	return priorityClassMap[priorityClassName]
 }
 
+// createWindowsJobObject creates a new Job Object
+// (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/procthread/job-objects),
+// and specifies the priority class for the job object to the specified value.
+// A job object is used here so that any spawned processes such as powershell or
+// wmic are created at the specified thread priority class.
+// Running kubelet with above normal / high priority  can help improve
+// responsiveness on machines with high CPU utilization.
+func createWindowsJobObject(pc uint32) (windows.Handle, error) {
+	job, err := windows.CreateJobObject(nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return windows.InvalidHandle, errors.Wrap(err, "windows.CreateJobObject failed")
+	}
+	limitInfo := windows.JOBOBJECT_BASIC_LIMIT_INFORMATION{
+		LimitFlags:    windows.JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_PRIORITY_CLASS,
+		PriorityClass: pc,
+	}
+	if _, err := windows.SetInformationJobObject(
+		job,
+		windows.JobObjectBasicLimitInformation,
+		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&limitInfo)),
+		uint32(unsafe.Sizeof(limitInfo))); err != nil {
+		return windows.InvalidHandle, errors.Wrap(err, "windows.SetInformationJobObject failed")
+	}
+	return job, nil
+}
+
 func initForOS(windowsService bool, windowsPriorityClass string) error {
 	priority := getPriorityValue(windowsPriorityClass)
 	if priority == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown priority class %s, valid ones are available at "+
 			"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/procthread/scheduling-priorities", windowsPriorityClass)
 	}
-	kubeletProcessHandle := windows.CurrentProcess()
-	// Set the priority of the kubelet process to given priority
-	klog.InfoS("Setting the priority of kubelet process", "windowsPriorityClass", windowsPriorityClass)
-	if err := windows.SetPriorityClass(kubeletProcessHandle, priority); err != nil {
+	klog.InfoS("Creating a Windows job object and adding kubelet process to it", "windowsPriorityClass", windowsPriorityClass)
+	job, err := createWindowsJobObject(priority)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := windows.AssignProcessToJobObject(job, windows.CurrentProcess()); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "windows.AssignProcessToJobObject failed")
+	}
 
 	if windowsService {
 		return service.InitService(serviceName)