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Sustainability in People Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 59901

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Economics and Management, University of Porto, CEF.UP
Interests: human resource management; empowerment; volunteer management; strategic HRM

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Guest Editor
School of Economics and Management, Management Department, University of Minho
Interests: careers; graduate employability; work and life issues and gender

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto
Interests: occupational stress; human resource management; organizational psychology; research methodology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is not a new subject. Both society and business are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of a sustainable development “that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, p. 8). Business performance now includes concerns for a triple bottom line: economic, environmental, and social. However, managers still need to comprehend how to deal with these challenges of achieving a triple balance (Clarke and Clegg, 2000).

Human resource management also plays an important role in searching for this triple balance. The sustainability debate involves challenges and changes in many organizational domains, which are impossible to achieve without the development of the necessary technical and administrative skills, as well as values and attitudes with a clear focus in long‐term direction (Dunphy et al., 2000). The Respect–Openness–Continuity model (ROC) deals with a number of issues that organizations should consider when pursuing sustainable HRM (De Prins et al. 2014). Respect for different stakeholders is a basic assumption, and the internal stakeholder, the employee, is often overlooked, as opposed to what happens to other, external stakeholders (Brunton. Openness or environmental awareness is in line with an outside-in perspective on HRM. Continuity is a long-term approach, both in terms of economic and societal sustainability terms and with regard to individual employability. Employees at all levels need to be equipped with the skills to not only nurture innovation and manage risk but also transform the economic systems within which they operate and deliver on broader societal goals in a responsible and sustainable way.

Therefore, sustainability in people management goes beyond HRM policies and practices, by including a broad and critical perspective of leading people in a responsible and ethical way. A primary prevention perspective involves the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development (Di Fabio, 2017). Achieving quality of life and wellbeing are sustainability goals as they allow positive organizational contexts which are key to mobilizing energy, coping with challenges, and innovation and sustainable development.

Furthermore, institutional and stakeholder theories may help to revisit the strategic fit and to search for a focus on long-term employment relations and performance (De Prins et al., 2014).

The overall focus of this Special Issue is on Sustainability and Human Resource Management (HRM) policies and practices. More specifically, the goal is to debate sustainable HRM as a new approach to managing people that goes beyond the traditional approach to strategic human resource management (SHRM). According to some authors (e.g., Ehnert, 2008; Kramar, 2014), by adopting a sustainable approach to HRM, we are not only concerned with the outcomes of managing an individual or a group within an organization. We are also focusing on health and wellbeing work contexts as primary levers for sustainable development (Di Fabio, 2017). Above all else, we are also attentive to the impacts of HRM policies and practices on groups of people and the relationship between multiple stakeholders within the wider community (e.g., social outcomes).

Relevant avenues for research concern the identification of the socioeconomic and strategic context in which sustainable HRM prospers best. For example, interesting research issues could involve identifying ways of advocating or excluding sustainable HRM strategies with cost-cutting or restructuring strategies.

Researchers could consider the extent to which organizations develop integrated or ad hoc approaches to the three dimensions of the ROC model and the roles played by vertical, horizontal, transactional, and transformational themes, practices, and processes within these approaches.

The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development is seen as a primary prevention perspective that can foster wellbeing in organizations at all the different levels going from the worker, to the group, to the organization, and also to interorganizational processes.

References:

  • Brunton, M., Eweje, G., & Taskin, N. (2017). Communicating corporate social responsibility to internal stakeholders: Walking the walk or just talking the talk?. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(1), 31-48.
  • De Prins, P., Stuer, D., & Gielens, T. (2018). Revitalizing social dialogue in the workplace: the impact of a cooperative industrial relations climate and sustainable HR practices on reducing employee harm. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 1-21.
  • De Prins, P., Van Beirendonck, L., De Vos, A., & Segers, J. (2014). Sustainable HRM: Bridging theory and practice through the'Respect Openness Continuity (ROC)'-model. Management revue, 263-284.
  • Di Fabio, A. (2017). The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development for well-being in organizations. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1534.
  • Dunphy, D., Beneveniste, J., Griffiths, A. and Sutton, P. (2000) (Eds), Sustainability: The Corporate Challenge of the 21st Century, Allen Unwin, Sydney.
  • Ehnert, I (2008). Sustainable Human Resource Management: A Conceptual and Exploratory Analysis from a Paradox Perspective. Berlin: Physica-Verlag/Springer.
  • Kramar, R. (2014). Beyond strategic human resource management: Is sustainable human resource management the next approach? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(8), 1069-1089, DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2013.816863
  • Manuti, A., & Giancaspro, M. L. (2019). People make the difference: An explorative study on the relationship between organizational practices, employees’ resources, and organizational behavior enhancing the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development. Sustainability, 11(5), 1499.
  • Sun, Y., Wang, T., & Gu, X. (2019). A Sustainable Development Perspective on Cooperative Culture, Knowledge Flow, and Innovation Network Governance Performance. Sustainability, 11(21), 6126.
  • Wilkinson, A., Hill, M., & Gollan, P. (2001). The sustainability debate. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 21 (12), 1492 -1502.
  • World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Prof. Teresa Proença
Dr. Gina Gaio Santos
Dr. Filomena Jordão
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Responsible leadership and culture (e.g., trust and behavioral integrity, open communication, empowerment, decent leadership) Psychology of sustainability (job crafting, health and well-being, meaningful life-work construction) Cooperation for sustainability (e.g., cooperative industrial relations climate, respect–openness–continuity model, cooperative culture) Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder theory (e.g., participatory decision-making processes involving the employees and/or other stakeholders) Sustainable HRM practices and talent management (e.g., sustainable reward packages
  • sustainability and HR training and competencies acquisition) Sustainability and HR retention (e.g., flexible work arrangements and other work–life HR practices
  • diversity programs and HR development and promotion issues
  • personalized career plans) HR challenges in managing an ageing workforce Generational differences and sustainable HR practices (e.g., sustainability and intergenerational justice issues, sustainability and intergenerational differences on the use of digital platforms and social media) HR care and employees’ health promotion (e.g., the design of HR practices that promote happiness at work and a positive work environment) Green HRM (e.g., environmentally-friendly HR practices and the preservation of knowledge capital) Organizational learning (e.g., knowledge flow, knowledge sharing, workplace innovation)

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1573 KiB  
Article
The Role of Agile Women Leadership in Achieving Team Effectiveness through Interpersonal Trust for Business Agility
by Bulent Akkaya and Anna Bagieńska
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4070; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074070 - 29 Mar 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5299
Abstract
The need for organizations to adapt to constant change means the challenges of implementing an agile strategy. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to analyze the role of agile women leadership and team effectiveness by looking into the mediating effect of interpersonal [...] Read more.
The need for organizations to adapt to constant change means the challenges of implementing an agile strategy. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to analyze the role of agile women leadership and team effectiveness by looking into the mediating effect of interpersonal trust based on a cross-sectional quantitative study with a sample of 269 employees from Poland and Turkey. Questionnaires were distributed to individuals in companies having women leaders or managers. The three questionnaires required the respondents to answer questions regarding the perception of agile leadership, trust and team effectiveness. By using SPSS, demographics, descriptive statistics and tests of normality were determined. Smart PLS version 3.0 was used for confirmatory factor analysis, internal accuracy and validity estimates, hypothesis checking and mediation testing. Results of PLS-SEM indicated interpersonal trust has a full mediation role between agile women leadership in shaping team effectiveness. The population of this study are working for organizations of just two countries; hence, the generalizability of the findings to other settings is unknown. Our findings contribute to the literature on women agile leadership and team effectiveness by demonstrating how the growth in trust to managers contributes to the emergence of team effectiveness and the agile leadership trend over time. This study will therefore contribute to the understanding of organized teams’ effectiveness in the perspective of agile women leadership and trust of supervisors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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20 pages, 965 KiB  
Article
Does Innovation Climate Help to Effectiveness of Green Finance Product R&D Team? The Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing and Moderating Effect of Knowledge Heterogeneity
by Xue Ding, Wei Li, Dujuan Huang and Xinghong Qin
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3926; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073926 - 26 Mar 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3089
Abstract
Green finance innovation has received emerging attention from the finance industry in recent years; however, few studies have explored the internal mechanisms that link innovation climate to a green finance R&D team’s effectiveness. Using data from 65 teams that belong to green finance [...] Read more.
Green finance innovation has received emerging attention from the finance industry in recent years; however, few studies have explored the internal mechanisms that link innovation climate to a green finance R&D team’s effectiveness. Using data from 65 teams that belong to green finance industries, collected via the questionnaire survey, we explore how innovation climate positively affects knowledge sharing, and both innovation climate and knowledge sharing can improve the effectiveness of the green finance R&D team. We also find that knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between innovation climate and a green finance R&D team’s effectiveness and that knowledge heterogeneity moderates the relationship between knowledge sharing and team effectiveness. Based on these findings, this study contributes to providing useful recommendations for professional managers and policymakers to effectively promote the development of the green finance industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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14 pages, 880 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Social Networks on the Digital Recruitment of Human Resources: An Empirical Study in the Tourism Sector
by Ionica Oncioiu, Emanuela Anton, Ana Maria Ifrim and Diana Andreea Mândricel
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063693 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8379
Abstract
The global employment landscape will continue to change due to new technologies, in particular automation, online collaboration tools, and artificial intelligence. The shortage of skilled workers and the growing jobs of e-tourism employees are a challenge for maintaining day-to-day operations. It is crucial [...] Read more.
The global employment landscape will continue to change due to new technologies, in particular automation, online collaboration tools, and artificial intelligence. The shortage of skilled workers and the growing jobs of e-tourism employees are a challenge for maintaining day-to-day operations. It is crucial to develop a digital recruitment strategy and communicate a good employer brand, supported by targeted digital advertising. This study aims to identify the impact of social networks on the effectiveness of digital human resources recruitment strategies in tourism. On the basis of a sample of 620 respondents who had experience of the digital recruitment of human resources in the tourism sector, the collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results underline the high relevance of building these strategies, as professional communication in social networks is the key to successful work in sustainable human resources practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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13 pages, 590 KiB  
Article
Fostering Work Meaningfulness for Sustainable Human Resources: A Study of Generation Z
by Patchara Popaitoon
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3626; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063626 - 19 Mar 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6466
Abstract
This study is drawn from the psychology of sustainability exploring meaningful job characteristics for Generation Z and their influence on employee retention. We hypothesised that intrinsic qualities of job characteristics foster experienced meaningfulness which, in turn, enhances employees’ intention to stay. An online [...] Read more.
This study is drawn from the psychology of sustainability exploring meaningful job characteristics for Generation Z and their influence on employee retention. We hypothesised that intrinsic qualities of job characteristics foster experienced meaningfulness which, in turn, enhances employees’ intention to stay. An online survey targeted to Generation Z was adopted for the study. We received 746 usable responses for the analysis. Nested model comparisons with a structural equation approach and chi-square difference tests were used to assess the mediating role of work meaningfulness in the hypothesised relationships. The best-fit model to data was then used for hypotheses testing. We found that skill variety, autonomy and task significance engender experienced meaningfulness for Generation Z. Work meaningfulness was the mechanism underpinning the relationships between these job characteristics and intention to stay. Task feedback was not significant for either meaningfulness or intention to stay, whereas task identity affected only intention to stay but not meaningfulness. This research contributes to the literature on work meaningfulness and generations by examining the work behaviours of Generation Z. Because experienced meaningfulness can enhance Generation Z’s willingness to stay and support organisational sustainability, an organisation can retain its generational cohort by providing selective work design strategies to fit the generation’s characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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16 pages, 430 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Work–Family Enrichment on Subjective Career Success through Job Engagement: A Case of Banking Sector
by Khalil Awan, Naveed Ahmad, Rana Tahir Naveed, Miklas Scholz, Mohammad Adnan and Heesup Han
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8872; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168872 - 9 Aug 2021
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4837
Abstract
To survive in the current competitive era, organizations need continuous performance and development. The performance of any organization is linked with their employees’ performance. However, employees give their best when they see subjective career success in the organization. There are certain factors such [...] Read more.
To survive in the current competitive era, organizations need continuous performance and development. The performance of any organization is linked with their employees’ performance. However, employees give their best when they see subjective career success in the organization. There are certain factors such as work–family enrichment (WFE) that affect employee’s subjective career success. The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between work–family enrichment and subjective career success through the mediating effect of work engagement. The data for this study were collected from various private banks located in a large metropolitan city through a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed through the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The results confirmed that work–family enrichment (WFE) positively affects subjective career success (SCS), and job engagement (JE) completely mediates this relationship. These findings will be helpful for banking sector policymakers to improve the subjective career success of personnel at the workplace through WFE and JE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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17 pages, 1086 KiB  
Article
Happiness at Work and Motivation for a Sustainable Workforce: Evidence from Female Hotel Employees
by Arzu Atan, Hale Ozgit and Fatos Silman
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7778; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147778 - 12 Jul 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 8259
Abstract
Employment practices that support happiness at work are critical tools for developing a sustainable workforce. In today’s challenging environment, both economically and environmentally, the contribution of a sustainable workforce, which is the most critical asset for hospitality businesses to survive and succeed, cannot [...] Read more.
Employment practices that support happiness at work are critical tools for developing a sustainable workforce. In today’s challenging environment, both economically and environmentally, the contribution of a sustainable workforce, which is the most critical asset for hospitality businesses to survive and succeed, cannot be ignored. This study explores the effects of motivational dimensions on happiness at work. These relationships were evaluated using the SPSS for Windows 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 programs. For this purpose, data were collected from 271 female employees in various four- and five-star hotels in North Cyprus. As predicted, the results revealed that motivational dimensions affect the dimensions of happiness at work. This study confirmed that a better understanding of employees’ needs and demands would encourage motivation and result in happier employees. The findings offer important implications for hospitality industry organizations seeking to maximize employee happiness in the workplace and strive for the sustainability of their workforce. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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14 pages, 405 KiB  
Article
Achieving Organizational Social Sustainability through Electronic Performance Appraisal Systems: The Moderating Influence of Transformational Leadership
by Zia Ullah, Susana Álvarez-Otero, Mohammed Ali Bait Ali Sulaiman, Muhammad Safdar Sial, Naveed Ahmad, Miklas Scholz and Khaoula Omhand
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5611; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105611 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5630
Abstract
Organizational sustainability is the reality which is considered essential for the success of all kind of organizations. Researchers and academicians struggle to conceptualize this phenomenon while practitioners endeavor to achieve it on the ground. Much has been done in resource-affluent countries of the [...] Read more.
Organizational sustainability is the reality which is considered essential for the success of all kind of organizations. Researchers and academicians struggle to conceptualize this phenomenon while practitioners endeavor to achieve it on the ground. Much has been done in resource-affluent countries of the world, whereas in the least developed countries, social sustainability is now becoming a new normal. The purpose of this research was to understand the social perspective of organizational sustainability and the roles of electronic performance appraisal and transformational leadership in shaping it. Data were collected from the healthcare sector through the administration of close-ended questionnaires to a randomly selected sample; 320 out of 400 questionnaires with an acceptable degree of accuracy were selected for statistical treatment. Inferential statistics were applied using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results confirmed the existence of definite contributions of the electronic performance appraisal system and transformational leadership towards organizational sustainability. However, our findings surprisingly ruled out the moderating role of transformational leadership on the cause and effect relationship between electronic performance appraisal and organizational social sustainability. In the face of a scarcity of related literature in the given context and due to the partial novelty of the model, the findings of this study add significantly to the existing bank of literature in the field. It will also be handy for the guidance of practitioners who are engaged in sustainability management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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15 pages, 793 KiB  
Article
Work–Family Conflict on Sustainable Creative Performance: Job Crafting as a Mediator
by Man Zhang, Fan Wang and Anupam Kumar Das
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8004; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198004 - 28 Sep 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4396
Abstract
The psychology of sustainability in terms of sustainable development for work–family conflict (WFC) in organizations has become increasingly relevant in sustainable human resource management research, and the pursuit of sustainable creative performance is an important aspect of corporate sustainable development. Taking a regulatory [...] Read more.
The psychology of sustainability in terms of sustainable development for work–family conflict (WFC) in organizations has become increasingly relevant in sustainable human resource management research, and the pursuit of sustainable creative performance is an important aspect of corporate sustainable development. Taking a regulatory focus perspective, this study integrates a moderated-mediation model to examine the relationship between work–family conflict and sustainable creative performance. Data were collected from 203 supervisor–subordinate dyads from two branches of a high-end manufacturing enterprise in Shanghai, China. The results reveal that work–family conflict has a positive effect on sustainable creative performance through job crafting, and the effect is stronger when individuals show higher promotion regulatory focus. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the study, along with potential future research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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31 pages, 4988 KiB  
Article
A System Dynamics Model of Employees’ Performance
by Mudhafar Alefari, Mohammed Almanei and Konstantinos Salonitis
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6511; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166511 - 12 Aug 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 10517
Abstract
Employee performance is dynamic and can have great impact on the overall performance of any company and its sustainability. A number of factors that can be controlled by the company can affect the employees’ performance. The present paper starts with a thorough literature [...] Read more.
Employee performance is dynamic and can have great impact on the overall performance of any company and its sustainability. A number of factors that can be controlled by the company can affect the employees’ performance. The present paper starts with a thorough literature review for identifying these key driving in order to develop a system dynamics models that will be able to assess different improvement scenarios and initiatives. Based on causal loop diagrams, stock and flow diagrams are developed and solved using system dynamics theory. The model developed can be used for organizations to assess the impact of different improvement initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in People Management)
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