Abstract
The current recession has caused a large number of companies to reevaluate their valuable resources and ways to preserve and invest those resources. Given the relevance of employees as key stakeholders, developing a socially responsible orientation in human resource management for taking care of workers and their needs must be an essential process for business success. This study, based on stakeholder theory and a social integrative approach, examines the main drivers and barriers in the implementation of socially responsible actions in human resource management. The research uses a quantitative analysis based on questionnaires responded to by 85 human resource managers from large Spanish companies. We conclude that there are two significant drivers of socially responsible actions in human resource management (HRM): access to public subsidies and the improvement of the working environment. The main significant barriers highlighted by human resource managers are conflicts in decisions with boards and/or management teams and the lack of employees’ acceptance. The professional implications of the research are discussed at the end of the paper.
Highlights
The benefits of introducing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in management models and firm strategies have been a relevant issue examined in the past decade [1,2]
Despite some academics who provide evidence of the importance of CSR as a strategic partner for human resource management (HRM) [8], it is necessary to examine in greater detail what factors reinforce or diminish this link
The lowest values were meeting the pressures of the market (3.705) and accessing public subsidies (2.658). These results indicate a real concern among human resource managers for providing excellent and responsible results from the implementation of socially responsible practices in HRM
Summary
The benefits of introducing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in management models and firm strategies have been a relevant issue examined in the past decade [1,2]. Notwithstanding positive evidence regarding CSR benefits for employees [7], some companies still do not trust the value of developing socially responsible initiatives. Despite some academics who provide evidence of the importance of CSR as a strategic partner for human resource management (HRM) [8], it is necessary to examine in greater detail what factors reinforce or diminish this link. We intend to shed light on the main drivers and barriers for human resource managers in the introduction of a socially responsible orientation in HRM. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a driver is considered “something that makes other things progress, develop, or grow stronger”, while a barrier can be defined as “anything used or acting to block something happening”
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