Green Human Resource Management Practices and the Digital World
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56976/rjsi.v7i1.303Keywords:
Green Competence-Building Practices, Green Motivation-Enhancing Practices, Green Employee Involvement Practices, Environmental PerformanceAbstract
This study investigates the impact of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices on environmental performance in the Information Technology (IT) sector of Karachi, Pakistan. It specifically explores how green competence-building practices, green motivation-enhancing practices, and green employee involvement practices contribute to achieving sustainability goals.
A quantitative research design was employed using a cross-sectional survey approach. Data were collected from 398 IT professionals working in Karachi through a structured questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via Smart PLS 4. The results reveal that green competence-building practices and green motivation-enhancing practices have a statistically significant positive impact on environmental performance. However, green employee involvement practices did not demonstrate a significant direct effect. The findings suggest that investing in skill development and motivational strategies is more impactful in driving sustainable outcomes than involvement strategies in the local context. The study highlights the importance for IT firms in Karachi to implement structured green training and motivational reward systems to enhance environmental performance. It also suggests the need for organizational cultural change to make employee involvement more effective in sustainability efforts. This research contributes to the limited literature on GHRM practices in the context of developing countries, particularly within the rapidly evolving IT sector of Karachi. It addresses a critical research gap by examining specific GHRM dimensions and their differential effects on environmental outcomes.
References
Adeel, A., Ali, M., & Khan, M. A. (2022). Green human resource management: Integrating sustainability into HR policies. Journal of Business Ethics, 170(4), 741–758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04625-z
Adeel, A., Ali, M., & Khan, M. A. (2022). Green human resource management: Integrating sustainability into HR policies. Journal of Business Ethics, 170(4), 741–758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04625-z
Ahmed, S., Zhou, Q., & Singh, M. (2021). Green human resource management and proactive environmental management: Empirical evidence from manufacturing firms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 291, 125291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125291
Ahmed, S., Zhou, Q., & Singh, M. (2021). Green human resource management and proactive environmental management: Empirical evidence from manufacturing firms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 291, 125291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125291
Aleixo, A. M., Leal, S., & Azeiteiro, U. M. (2018). Conceptualization of sustainable higher education institutions, roles, barriers, and challenges for sustainability: An exploratory study in Portugal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 1664–1673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.010
Aleixo, A. M., Leal, S., & Azeiteiro, U. M. (2018). Conceptualization of sustainable higher education institutions, roles, barriers, and challenges for sustainability: An exploratory study in Portugal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 1664–1673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.010
Ali, M., Nizam, E., & Khan, M. A. (2019). The role of green human resource management practices in environmental performance: A study on the IT sector in Karachi. Journal of Cleaner Production, 240, 118202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118202
Ali, M., Nizam, E., & Khan, M. A. (2019). The role of green human resource management practices in environmental performance: A study on the IT sector in Karachi. Journal of Cleaner Production, 240, 118202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118202
Andersen, P. H., & Skjoett-Larsen, T. (2021). Corporate social responsibility in global supply chains. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 26(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-03-2020-0142
Andersen, P. H., & Skjoett-Larsen, T. (2021). Corporate social responsibility in global supply chains. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 26(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-03-2020-0142
Awan, U., Kraslawski, A., & Huiskonen, J. (2021). Corporate responsibility in sustainability networks: Learning by inter-organizational interactions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 290, 125774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125774
Awan, U., Kraslawski, A., & Huiskonen, J. (2021). Corporate responsibility in sustainability networks: Learning by inter-organizational interactions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 290, 125774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125774
Barbier, E. B., & Burgess, J. C. (2017). The Sustainable Development Goals and the systems approach to sustainability. Economics, 11(1), 20170028. https://doi.org/10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2017-28
Barbier, E. B., & Burgess, J. C. (2017). The Sustainable Development Goals and the systems approach to sustainability. Economics, 11(1), 20170028. https://doi.org/10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2017-28
Bashirun, S. N., & Noranee, S. (2020). Influence of environmental knowledge and attitude on employee green behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 70, 101474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101474
Bashirun, S. N., & Noranee, S. (2020). Influence of environmental knowledge and attitude on employee green behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 70, 101474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101474
Boiral, O., Paillé, P., & Raineri, N. (2018). The nature of employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 59, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.08.012
Boiral, O., Paillé, P., & Raineri, N. (2018). The nature of employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 59, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.08.012
Brandão, R., Castro, P., & Bredillet, C. (2021). Project management practices and sustainable development: A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 299, 126915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126915
Brandão, R., Castro, P., & Bredillet, C. (2021). Project management practices and sustainable development: A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 299, 126915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126915
Cabral, C., & Dhar, R. L. (2019). Green competencies: Construct development and measurement validation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 235, 887–900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.07.014
Cabral, C., & Dhar, R. L. (2019). Green competencies: Construct development and measurement validation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 235, 887–900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.07.014
Calero, C., & Piattini, M. (2015). Introduction to Green in Software Engineering. In C. Calero & M. Piattini (Eds.), Green in Software Engineering (pp. 3–27). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08581-4_1
Calero, C., & Piattini, M. (2015). Introduction to Green in Software Engineering. In C. Calero & M. Piattini (Eds.), Green in Software Engineering (pp. 3–27). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08581-4_1
Cheema, M. A., Afsar, B., & Al-Ghazali, B. M. (2022). Promoting green behavior through ethical leadership: A model of green human resource management and environmental knowledge. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 65(1), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2020.1833240
Cheema, M. A., Afsar, B., & Al-Ghazali, B. M. (2022). Promoting green behavior through ethical leadership: A model of green human resource management and environmental knowledge. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 65(1), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2020.1833240
Chen, T., & Wu, Z. (2022). How to facilitate employees’ green behavior? The joint role of green human resource management practice and green transformational leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 662839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.662839
Chen, T., & Wu, Z. (2022). How to facilitate employees’ green behavior? The joint role of green human resource management practice and green transformational leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 662839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.662839
Choi, Y., & Chung, Y. (2022). Green human resource management and environmental performance: The mediating role of green organizational culture. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(2), 295–307. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2160
Choi, Y., & Chung, Y. (2022). Green human resource management and environmental performance: The mediating role of green organizational culture. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(2), 295–307. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2160
Jabbour, C. J. C., de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L., Govindan, K., Teixeira, A. A., & de Souza Freitas, W. R. (2013). Environmental management and operational performance in automotive companies in Brazil: The role of human resource management and lean manufacturing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 47, 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.12.039
Jabbour, C. J. C., Santos, F. C. A., & Nagano, M. S. (2013). Contributions of HRM throughout the stages of environmental management: Methodological triangulation applied to companies in Brazil. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(21), 4054–4079. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2013.777934
Jackson, S. E., Renwick, D. W. S., Jabbour, C. J. C., & Muller-Camen, M. (2011). State-of-the-art and future directions for green human resource management: Introduction to the special issue. Zeitschrift für Personalforschung, 25(2), 99–116. https://doi.org/10.1688/1862-0000_ZP_2011_02_Jackson
Jamal, T., Zahid, M., Martins, J. M., Mata, M. N., Rahman, H. U., & Mata, P. N. (2021). Perceived green human resource management practices and corporate sustainability: Multigroup analysis and major industries perspectives. Sustainability, 13(6), 3045. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063045
Kardoyo, K., Feriady, M., Farliana, N., & Nurkhin, A. (2020). Influence of green leadership toward environmental policies support. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256, 120435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120435
Khan, F., & Inam, A. (2018). Green human resource management: A review and research agenda. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 5(1), 87–107. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-08-2017-0061
Khan, M., & Qianli, D. (2020). Green human resource management, economic growth, and environment: A systematic review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 12707–12724. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08035-x
Kim, Y. J., Kim, W. G., Choi, H. M., & Phetvaroon, K. (2019). The effect of green human resource management on hotel employees’ eco-friendly behavior and environmental performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 76, 83–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.04.007
Kuo, T., & Lin, P. C. (2022). Green motivation: Rewards and recognition in environmental performance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 314, 128009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128009
Lee, Y., Kim, S., & Kim, M. (2022). Strategic green human resource management: Impacts on environmental performance in IT companies. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2763
Leonidou, L. C., Leonidou, C. N., Fotiadis, T. A., & Zeriti, A. (2020). Resources and capabilities as drivers of hotel environmental marketing strategy: Implications for competitive advantage and performance. Tourism Management, 76, 103–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.06.009
Li, W., Abdalla, A. A., Mohammad, T., Khassawneh, O., & Parveen, M. (2023). Towards examining the link between green HRM practices and employee green in-role behavior: Spiritual leadership as a moderator. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 115–129. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S396114
Liaquat, H., Qiang, F., & Karim, A. (2023). Green human resource management practices and their impact on environmental performance. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30, 15872–15889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22424-y
Luu, T. T. (2019). Building employees' organizational citizenship behavior for the environment: The roles of collective green crafting and environmentally specific servant leadership. Sustainability, 11(10), 2849. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102849
Martins, N., & Martins, E. (2023). The influence of green human resource management practices on sustainability projects in the technology sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 295, 126428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126428
Mehrajunnisa, M., Jabeen, F., Faisal, M., & Lange, T. (2022). The influence of green human resource management practices and employee green behavior on business performance in sustainability-focused organizations. Journal of Environmental Management, 290, 112660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112660
Mi, L., Sun, Y., Gan, X., Yang, H., Lv, T., Shang, K., Qiao, Y., & Jiang, Z. (2020). Promoting employee green behavior through person–organization fit: The moderating effect of psychological distance. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 568385. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.568385
Mishra, P., Pandey, N., & Singh, M. P. (2021). Analyzing barriers to green innovation in the manufacturing industry using total interpretive structural modeling (TISM). Sustainability, 13(5), 2664. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052664
Mubashir, A., & Siddiqui, D. A. (2023). How employee conflict behavior affects work engagement: Transformational leadership as mediator and moderating role of pro-social motivation. International Journal of Social Science & Entrepreneurship, 3(1), 489-514..
Muhammad Nabeel, Aziz Ullah, Muhammad Waqas Nazir, Shahjehan Asad Khan, & Shahan Zeb Khan. (2023). Impact of green HRM practices on green volunteer behavior: Mediation of psychological ownership. Journal of Environmental Management, 300, 113743. https://dx.doi.org/10.61506/01.00009
Nizam, E., Ali, M., & Khan, M. A. (2020). Green management practices and firm performance: A study of IT sector in Karachi. Sustainability, 12(8), 3289. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083289
Nizam, E., Ali, M., & Khan, M. A. (2020). Integration of green management practices: A step towards sustainable growth in IT sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120978
Ojo, A. O., Tan, C. N., & Alias, M. (2020). Linking green HRM practices to environmental performance through pro-environment behavior in the information technology sector. Social Responsibility Journal, 18(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-12-2019-0403
Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S. (2012). Environmental sustainability at work: A call to action. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5(4), 444–466. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1754-9434.2012.01478.x
Paillé, P., Boiral, O., & Chen, Y. (2014). Linking environmental management practices and organizational citizenship behavior for the environment: A social exchange perspective. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(18), 2643–2664. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2014.934886
Patel, L., Greene, A., & Khan, S. (2022). From personal values to collective progress: The role of green organizational culture in fostering sustainable practices. Environmental Management, 69(3), 517–530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01355-1
Patil, V. J., Suresh, M., & Lee, P. (2022). Green human resource management enabled business sustainability. Journal of Business Ethics, 174(2), 341–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04695-5
Peng, J., Hou, N., & Pang, Y. (2019). Employees’ green behavior: Summarizing the concept and the theoretical explanation. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(4), 911–927. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3926-7
Quan, D., Tian, L., & Qiu, W. (2022). The influence of green inclusive leadership on employee green behavior. Journal of Cleaner Production, 330, 129925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129925
Raghuwanshi, S., & Acharya, S. (2020). Green HRM–Strategies for greening people. Journal of Business Ethics, 158(1), 253–269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3732-z
Renwick, D. W., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2013). Green human resource management: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00328.x
Robertson, J. L., & Barling, J. (2013). Greening organizations through leaders' influence on employees' pro-environmental behaviors. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(2), 176–194. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1820
Sakharina, I. K., Yusoff, W. F. W., & Ahmad, N. (2020). The impact of green human resource practices on environmental performance. Journal of Environmental Management, 270, 123016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.123016
Salam, M., & Khan, S. U. (2018). Challenges in the development of green and sustainable software for software multisourcing vendors: Findings from a systematic literature review and industrial survey. Journal of Software: Evolution and Process, 30(8), e1939. https://doi.org/10.1002/smr.1939
Sanusi, I., Farida, I., & Sopiah. (2023). Green transformational leadership: Systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 295, 126428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126428
Saunila, M., Ukko, J., & Rantala, T. (2018). Sustainability as a driver of green innovation investment and exploitation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 179, 631–641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.211
Singh, S. K., Giudice, M. D., Chierici, R., & Graziano, D. (2020). Green innovation and environmental performance: The role of green transformational leadership and green human resource management. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 150, 119762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119762
Smith, W. K., & Turner, S. (2021). Integrating green strategy and strategic human resource management. Organization & Environment, 34(2), 203–223. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026620937956
Stone, M. (1974). Cross-validatory choice and assessment of statistical predictions. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B (Methodological), 36(2), 111–147.
Tang, G., Chen, Y., Jiang, Y., Paillé, P., & Jia, J. (2017). Green human resource management practices: Scale development and validity. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 55(1), 69–89. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12147
Testa, F., Gusmerotti, N. M., Corsini, F., Passetti, E., & Iraldo, F. (2016). Factors affecting environmental management by small and micro firms: The importance of entrepreneurs’ attitudes and environmental investment. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 23(6), 373–385. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1378
Thompson, C., & Gullone, E. (2022). Cultivating sustainability through green organizational cultures: The role of HRM strategies. Journal of Business Ethics, 174(1), 189–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04625-4
Tran, S. (2023). Green HRM practices and their impact on employee environmental outcomes. Journal of Environmental Management, 301, 113911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.113911
Waheed, A., Xiaoming, M., Ahmad, N., & Waheed, S. (2020). The moderating effect of information technology ambidexterity linking new human resource management practices and innovation performance. International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 19(2/3), 181. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJITM.2020.106219
Wiernik, B. M., Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S. (2020). Age and employee green behaviors: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 567. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00567
Wiradirja, N., Utomo, C., & Kumalasari, M. (2020). Employee involvement in green practices: Impacts on firm-level environmental performance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(3), 1234–1245. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2550
Wu, C.-H., & Chen, C.-S. (2020). Green human resource management and green employee purchase behavior: Research and relationships. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 926–934. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1920
Yadav, P. (2023). Improving organizational sustainable performance through green training. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 31(1), 210–230. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-03-2020-2121
Yafi, E., Klimova, A., & Bilan, Y. (2021). Impact of green training on environmental performance through mediating role of competencies and motivation. Sustainability, 13(10), 5624. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105624
Young, W., Davis, M., McNeill, I. M., Malhotra, B., Russell, S., Unsworth, K., & Clegg, C. W. (2017). Changing behavior: Successful environmental programs in the workplace. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(3), 274–285. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1931
Zaki, N., & Norazman, I. (2019). The relationship between employee motivation towards green HRM mediated by green employee empowerment: A systematic review and conceptual analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 232, 1379–1391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.391
Zhang, B., Yang, L., Xiang-Yang, C., & Chen, F. (2021). How does employee green behavior impact employee well-being? An empirical analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1669. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041669
Zhang, Q., Zhu, W., & Zhao, X. (2022). Linking green human resource management and environmental performance: The roles of collective green commitment and green shared vision. Journal of Cleaner Production, 298, 126706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126706
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Syeda Tarum Abbas Naqvi, Tehreem Shafi, Samrah Qazalbash, Zohaib Khan, Hadi Raza
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
