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The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 149610

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peter Holland

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Guest Editor

Swinburne Business School, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, 3122, Australia
Interests: employee voice and silence; workplace monitoring and surveillance and workplace well-being and climate

Dr. Renee Paulet

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Guest Editor

Federation Business School, Federation University, Churchill 3842, Australia
Interests: sustainable HRM; green HRM; staffing organisations; recruitment; selection; peer review of teaching; peer review of online teaching

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is arguably the most significant challenge facing the workplace of the 21^st century. Whilst many acknowledge and understand this, little is understood or discussed about the changes required to make sustainability a central aspect of work and the workplace. For example, how is the workforce engaged in sustainability changes, what type of voice mechanism will be developed to communicate information and change, how will training and development in the field of sustainability be undertaken and by whom? These are just some of the issues and examples which highlight the increasing importance of sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM) and sustainable Employee Relations (ER). These key areas of workplace management have the potential to facilitate organisational development of principles, policies, and practices for the challenges of workplace sustainability in the 21^st century.

Kramar (2014) has argued that sustainable HRM, signifies a new approach to managing people, by identifying broader purposes for HRM, through its recognition of the complexities of workplace dynamics. To this we would add the role of employee relations through concepts such as voice and a role for external bodies such as trade unions. The scope of this special issue therefore is to explore the role of HRM and ER policies and practices, identifying best practice as well as the rhetoric in the implementation of sustainable work practices. Both empirical and theorectical papers are welcome. Topic areas of potential relevance to this special issue include but are not limited to:

Sustainable HRM and/or ER practices
Sustainable HRM and/or ER strategy
Relationships between Sustainable HRM and ER
The impact of COVID-19 on sustainable work practices and/or sustainable HRM and ER
The quality of sustainable work patterns and practices
Impact of sustainable HRM/and or ER on organisation and/or employee performance
Sustainable work and/or sustainable jobs in the 21^st century
Sustainability and employee voice
The future of sustainable HRM and ER

This special issue will add to the emerging field of sustainable HRM and ER as well as our knowledge of work arrangements for the development of effective sustainable workplace principles and policies. These findings will contribute to the implementation and assessment of effective sustainable work practices, to serve as a basis of future research into sustainable HRM.

Prof. Dr. Peter Holland
Dr. Renee Paulet
Guest Editors

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Keywords

sustainable HRM
sustainable ER
sustainable workplace
human resource management
human resource development
employee relations

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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9 pages, 571 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Great Resignation—Ethical, Cultural, Relational, and Personal Dimensions of Generation Y and Z Employees’ Engagement

by Aleksandra Kuzior, Karolina Kettler and Łukasz Rąb

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6764; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116764 - 1 Jun 2022

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 14274

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced the work world. One of the most visible impacts on employee lifecycles is the phenomenon called the great resignation, a massive wave of workers quitting across industries that began in 2021, after easing of the first pandemic restrictions. As this process is quite recent, there is a research gap in the field which has pushed the authors to examine this topic in more detail. The authors set the following research hypothesis: The great resignation is primarily caused by the ethical, cultural, relational, and personal factors. In order to verify it, the authors conducted original research and analyzed various desk studies. The research was done within a Berlin-based tech startup in the time frame between January 2020 and December 2021. Based on their findings, the authors concluded that the main reasons for employees leaving their workplaces are non-materialistic ones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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17 pages, 521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Leader-Member Exchange, Organizational Identification and Leadership Communication on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: A Study on Bank Employees in Turkey

by Ezgi Erbas Kelebek and Esra Alniacik

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031055 - 18 Jan 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5254

Abstract

Unethical behavior of employees threatens business development and sustainability by damaging the image and reputation of companies. Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) must also be considered in this context, and its antecedents should be analyzed. This study aims to advance what is known about how leader-member exchange (LMX) and organizational identification affect employees’ intentions to perform UPB, by incorporating the effect of leadership communication. Within this context, the mediating role of organizational identification and the moderating role of leader’s message framing (gain or loss) are examined. The research sample consists of 306 employees working for state and private banks operating in Turkey. Participants were divided into two groups and message framing was manipulated with a hypothetical story using vignettes. Research hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group analysis. Results confirmed positive effects of LMX and organizational identification on UPB. Organizational identification also mediated the effect of LMX on UPB. Moreover, leader’s communication style moderated the effects of LMX and organizational identification on UPB. When leaders used loss framing instead of gain framing, the effect of LMX on UPB was augmented whilst the effect of organizational identification diminished. Our study contributes to the literature by documenting how a leader’s communication style can trigger a shift towards UPB among highly identified employees. Research and managerial implications of the findings are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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15 pages, 717 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Effect of Perceived Diversity Practices and Psychological Safety on Contextual Performance for Sustainable Workplace

by Ritika Dongrey and Varsha Rokade

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11653; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111653 - 21 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4820

Abstract

Perceiving discrimination in workplace practices psychologically damages employees and affects their work performance. The current study aims to find differences in perceived diversity practices (i.e., equal representation and developmental opportunities and gender diversity promotion) and the psychological safety of diverse groups in the workplace. Further, the study investigates the relationship of equal representation and developmental opportunities, gender diversity promotion, and psychological safety with employee contextual performance. A sample size of (n = 536) respondents was collected from the private banking sector in India, and was further analyzed using statistical tools, such as factor analysis, correlations, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. The findings indicate differences in gender and tenure diversity regarding “equal representation and development opportunities”, and “gender diversity promotion.” Furthermore, “equal representation and development opportunities,” and “psychological safety” showed a significant negative relationship with the employee contextual performance. Further, no association between perceived “gender diversity promotion” practices and “contextual performance” was found. The novelty of the current research is unlike previous research; the study highlights that excess psychological safety, equality in representation, and development opportunities to have “workforce diversity” make employees aggressively explicit and disengage them from additional work behavior. The findings of the study and application of SPSS software for the analysis of the employee’s perception, behavior, and performance will aid managers and leaders in better decision making for employees; business growth; effective human resource and business management; and for building a healthy, collaborative, and sustainable work environment in the private banks and similar organizations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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12 pages, 444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Workforce Sustainability, Stress, and Career Decision: A Study of Kindergarten Teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Luis Miguel Dos Santos

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11521; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011521 - 18 Oct 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 7243

Abstract

A shortage of qualified teachers has been a long-term problem in many school districts and education systems internationally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the current human resource gap in teaching significantly impacted the quality of teaching services and the experience of all school parties. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, two research questions guided this study: (1) Why did kindergarten teachers decide to leave their teaching positions and education professions permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) Did stress, burnout, and technology-related issues influence their career decision? 60 kindergarten teachers shared their insights through interviews and focus group activities. The results indicated that personal considerations of their family and trained skills, surrounding environment and individuals, and financial considerations played important roles in their career decisions and sources of stress. The study provides recommendations to government heads, school leaders, human resource planners, and headteachers to replan and reform current human resource and workforce planning for the ongoing teachers’ shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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13 pages, 586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Supervisory Career Support and Workplace Wellbeing in Chinese Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Role of Career Commitment and the Moderating Role of Future Work Self-Salience

by Guangyi Xu, Zhen Li and Hongli Wang

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5572; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105572 - 17 May 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2766

Abstract

In the context of the sustainability goals of organizations, there is a dilemma regarding enhancing healthcare workers’ career commitment and wellbeing, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. This study focuses on the underlying mechanism in the relationship between supervisory career support and employee wellbeing. Drawing upon the career motivation perspective, we investigate the mediating role of career commitment and moderating effect of future work self-salience (FWSS) in this relationship. Two-wave data were collected from a sample of 213 full-time healthcare workers from three public hospitals located in Southern China. Results in this study revealed that supervisory career support influences career commitment in health workers, which in turn enhances their wellbeing at the workplace. Moreover, the effect of supervisory career support on career commitment was found to be stronger for individuals with low FWSS compared to those with high FWSS. These findings also enlighten us on how to enhance employees’ career commitment and workplace wellbeing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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26 pages, 3198 KiB

Open AccessReview

Challenges and Strategies for Employee Retention in the Hospitality Industry: A Review

by Bilqees Ghani, Muhammad Zada, Khalid Rasheed Memon, Rezwan Ullah, Afraseyab Khattak, Heesup Han, Antonio Ariza-Montes and Luis Araya-Castillo

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052885 - 2 Mar 2022

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 88040

Abstract

Despite the issues that the hospitality industry encounters in retaining talented employees, little attention has been paid to the development of retention strategies, resulting in poor organizational performance and sustainable growth. The current study, therefore, aims to review and discuss the employee retention strategies in the hospitality industry in order to keep talented employees for a longer period of time. The study is based on past literature and peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2020. The databases Web Knowledge, Emerald, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were used to find the relevant papers using the key words such as “Hospitality Industry”, “employee retention”, “employee turnover”, and “employees”. The findings of this study suggest that employee retention is contingent on employee satisfaction, which is comprised of four factors: sustainable positive work environment; sustainable growth opportunities; sustainable & effective communication; and sustainable & effective recruitment and selection practices. The paper contributes to a comprehensive review of the literature on employee retention strategies in the hospitality context. The study proposes a model for the hospitality industry to revamp its recruitment and selection practices in order to retain its employees. Furthermore, the study provides a focused directions that will aid in the establishment of employee retention strategies and practices. It was concluded that satisfied employees are less likely to leave their current job, while unsatisfied employees are expected to leave their current job for a better career opportunity. Managerial implications were also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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26 pages, 348 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Literature Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effect on Sustainable HRM

by Xiaoyan Liang, Xiwei Zhang, Renee Paulet and Leven Jianwen Zheng

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052579 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10863

Abstract

The ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to emerge across all facets of the world of work, including the field of human resource management (HRM). Sustainable HRM, drawing on the triple bottom line elements of the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability, provides an ideal basis from which to understand the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and HRM. In this systematic literature review, we analyze peer reviewed articles published in the nexus of the pandemic and sustainable HRM, identifying the dimensions and extent of research in this topical area of study. Our CEDEL model—complicator–exposer–disruptor–enabler–legitimizer—conceptualizes our understanding of the role of COVID-19 in sustainable HRM. This paper provides a framework from which future studies can benefit when investigating the impacts of COVID-19, and a comprehensive identification of future research avenues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

27 pages, 6774 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Climate as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Hospitality

by Hugo Palácios, Helena de Almeida and Maria José Sousa

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12214; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112214 - 5 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3661

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic literature review and map the service climate in hospitality to discuss the future of the construct as a sustainable competitive advantage. A bibliometric (Bibliometrix) and network (VOSviewer) analysis were conducted in order to review the literature of 63 hospitality service climate articles published between 2005 and 2021, covering 167 authors, 30 journals, 17 countries, and indexed with 241 authors keywords. The “International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management” presents the most considerable accumulated growth of the hospitality service climate articles. The content analysis showed a total sample with 3519 customers and 23,068 employees, and all include women and men. The studies were carried out mainly in Asia. The research trend topics revealed that performance is one of the most crucial link factors, and keywords such as service climate, performance, antecedents, and perceptions are closely related. Finally, it is essential to highlight that the new trends are related to technology, industrial revolution 4.0, big data, and HR analytics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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16 pages, 594 KiB

Open AccessConcept Paper

Employee Voice: The Missing Factor in Sustainable HRM?

by Renee Paulet, Peter Holland and Andrew Bratton

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9732; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179732 - 30 Aug 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 8307

Abstract

Sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM), has the potential to facilitate organisations development of principles, policies and practices for the challenges of the 21st century. However, to do this we argue a fundamental element in this process has yet to be fully addressed and incorporated into the theory and practice of sustainable HRM; this is employee voice. Additionally, the actual and potential role of trade unions in facilitating employee voice is yet to be conceptualised within sustainable HRM literature. We argue that the development of effective employee voice mechanisms is vital in the implementation and maintenance of sustainable HRM. In this conceptual paper, we outline the nature of the voice architecture, the impact of the employment relationship on voice mechanisms, how it can be effectively measured, and propose a framework for further exploring these concepts. These key factors we identify as critical in implementing and assessing the effectiveness of the relationship between employee voice and sustainable HRM, to potentially serve as a basis of future research into sustainable HRM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Developing Sustainable Workplaces)

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