Employee well-being human resource practices: a systematic literature review and directions for future research

Abstract

The increasing recognition of mental health, especially since COVID-19, has invoked urgent attention towards HRM and well-being of employees. Despite strong momentum in human resource management (HRM)—employee well-being (EWB) research, EWB dedicated HRM bundles remain under-researched. Thus, this article aims to contribute to the literature by reviewing advances in employee well-being HR practices (EWBHRPs) that induce conceptualization and propose a consolidated framework. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) with PRISMA 2020 for the systematic selection of 16 conceptual and empirical, peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2010 and 2024. Based on the review of relevant literature, we find that HRM initiatives support EWB. Further, the study finds various viewpoints conceptualizing EWBHRPs and arrives at a constructive decision bundling essential employee well-being HRM practices, positioning it as a crucial tool instrumental for maintaining and enhancing EWB. This article outlines theoretical and practical implications for organizations to develop an HRM system that cares and offers key employee well-being practices that practicing managers and HRM professionals may adopt. The originality of this article is linked with the methodological outlook that uses the PRISMA 2020 approach, which cannot be found extensively in the sparsely investigated EWBHRPs spectrum. The study presents a framework with an exhaustive future agenda that offers a starting point for further discussion.