Green human resource management and organisational responsible performance: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis

Purpose The sustainable performance of manufacturing companies may commence with employees’ eco-friendly initiatives. The management is responsible for employee green initiatives, requiring the human resource department to develop and implement green strategies. Therefore, it is essential to investigate how green human resource management enhances sustainable performance among manufacturing personnel. This study aims to determine if the green knowledge management and green innovation of manufacturing employees serve as serial mediators in the relationship between green human resource management and sustainable performance. Additionally, if artificial intelligence facilitated the relationship between green human resource management, green knowledge management and sustainable performance. Design/methodology/approach The data were gathered from manufacturing firm managers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicated a notable and positive correlation between green human resource management and sustainable performance, green knowledge management and green innovation. Green knowledge management and green innovation exhibited significant positive correlations with sustainable performance. Additionally, green knowledge management and green innovation facilitated the connection between green human resource management and sustainable performance. This relationship was serially mediated by green knowledge management and green innovation. Furthermore, artificial intelligence moderated the relationship between green human resource management, green knowledge management and sustainable performance. Practical implications This study suggests that management can use study findings in decision-making to improve firms’ sustainable performance. Originality/value This study provides novel empirical evidence by investigating the mediation roles of green knowledge management and green innovation between green human resource management and sustainable performance through the lens of the natural resource orchestration theory.

Green human resource management (GHRM) practices and big data analytics are becoming critical to enhance organizational performance. However, limited research has been conducted on GHRM practices and organizational performance in the presence of big data analytics. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the moderating effect of big data analytics on the relationship between GHRM practices and organizational performance. This explanatory study adopted a survey instrument to collect cross-sectional data from 189 respondents working in different organizations in Pakistan. The findings reveal a significant and positive effect of all GHRM practices on organizational performance. In addition, a substantial increase in the R2 models for all three dimensions of big data analytics as a moderator was found on the relationship between GHRM practices and organizational performance. This empirical study significantly enhances our understanding of how GHRM practices substantially influence organizational performance along with the use of big data analytics to maximize the benefits of GHRM and improve organizational efficiency. The study highlights the need to further explore green activities and behaviors for enhancing business value and competitive advantage. In addition, adoption of big data analytics supports faster decision-making, saves time and underpins efficient resource utilization to achieve operational and strategic efficiencies.

Organizations have been more environmentally conscious in recent years, particularly since the sustainable development target was established worldwide. Consequently, scholars' attention has been drawn to the connection between green human resource management (GHRM) and organizational performance. This study aims to investigate the relationship between organizational performance and green human resource management at Nekemte Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (NCSH), a public hospital located in Nekemte City, east Wallagga zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Data was gathered using a closed-ended, five-point Likert questionnaire survey in order to meet the study's goals. All 223 questionnaire were received and analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. Convergent and discriminant validity tests, as well as construct and composite reliability, were performed on the specified SEM model. The outcome of these tests showed that the SEM model's validity and reliability had been attained. Further, the SEM was checked for model fit indices and it was assured that the model is fit in all aspects. The SEM results revealed positive and significant effects of green reward and compensation (GRC) with a path coefficient of 0.41 (P<0.05) whereas green performance management and appraisal (GPMA) with a path coefficient of 0.48 (P<0.05) on organizational performance (OP) of Nekemte comprehensive specialized hospital. The structural model further revealed that green training and development (GTD) and green reward and compensation (GRC) have a significant effect on green performance management and appraisal (GPMA) with an estimated path coefficient of 0.49 (P<0.05) and 0.52 (P<0.05, respectively. The effect size analysis results indicated that GRC has the largest effect on organizational performance with an estimated path coefficient of 0.55 while GPMA has appeared with an estimated coefficient of 0.45 revealing a medium effect on OP. The result from the mediation analysis has indicated that GPMA has fully mediated between GTD and OP while it partially mediated between GRC and OP. From the econometric results, it is concluded that GHRM practices are positively contributing to the performance of the organization. The overall conclusion of the study is that there are limited GRHM practices that positively contribute to the performance of the hospital. The policy implication is that better organizational performance of the hospital demands the continuous effort of putting GRHM practices at the center of the organizational goal. Further, the dual contribution of GRC and the dual advantage of GPMA need to be well exploited.

PurposeSustainable development concern, coupled with changes in the talent landscape, has led to a heightened focus on green human resource management (GHRM). Drawing on attribution theory and conservation of resources theory, this study examined GHRM, leader–member exchange (LMX) and core self-evaluations (CSE) in relation to work engagement together with human resource management (HRM) performance attributions as a mediator.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data collected from 110 respondents working in ISO 14001 certified organisations in Malaysia.FindingsResults revealed that GHRM and LMX were positively related to HRM performance attributions that were intended to improve employee performance. However, CSE was not found to be related to HRM performance attributions. Consequently, HRM performance attributions were positively related to work engagement. Furthermore, GHRM and LMX had positive indirect effects on work engagement through HRM performance attributions as a mediator.Research limitations/implicationsSince the data collected were from Malaysia only, it limits the generalisability of the results to other regions.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that organisations should adopt GHRM and train its leaders to forge stronger social bonds with their subordinates to elicit higher work engagement by positively influencing employee attributions on the motives of HRM practices.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the acknowledged gap on GHRM and HRM attributions by examining the non-green employee outcomes of GHRM and the antecedents of HRM performance attributions. This study also contributes by integrating attribution theory with conservation of resources theory to provide the mediation mechanism in linking GHRM and LMX towards higher work engagement through HRM performance attributions as a mediator; thus empirically illustrating the resource gain spirals.

The global need to solve escalating environmental challenges brings increased focus on organizations and their impact on environmental performance. The significance of green human resources management (GHRM) is increasingly recognized as aligning organizational objectives with environmental sustainability goals, fostering eco-friendly workplace practices and enhancing corporate social responsibility. GHRM and its contribution to environmental performance has received growing attention from scholars, however, a need to systematically review and synthesize the literature in this area remains. This research offers a comprehensive overview of green human resources management and environmental performance literature highlighting the major themes in the current developments along with the new trends and patterns for future research observed in this field. For conducting a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis, a total of 227 documents were extracted from the Scopus database. Following the PRISMA 2020 Protocol, 144 published articles from 2014 to 2024 were included for final analysis. Performance analysis and science mapping (citation, co-citation, bibliographical coupling, and keyword co-occurrence analysis) were performed to examine how knowledge has been constructed, disseminated, and shaped over time. VOSviewer software was used to systematically investigate, map, and visualize the bibliometric results as the main trends. The study reveals the current status in GHRM and performance management publications and citations, identifying key contributors such as influential countries, journals, and authors and outlines keywords, and thematic areas. Lastly, this study identifies research gaps and emerging trends such as green transformational leadership, green innovation, green behaviour, environmental values, green intellectual capital, environmental economics in GHRM, offering valuable insights for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance understanding and implementation of green HR practices.

The present study explores the connection between green human resource management (GHRM) and environmental performance (EP) directly and indirectly through employees’ eco-friendly behaviour (EFB), environmental values (EVs), and green passion (GP). The study used a quantitative strategy based on the studies of Paillé et al. (2014) and Liu et al. (2023). We collected 288 usable cases through an online questionnaire. Using SmartPLS 4, the findings confirmed a significant positive effect of GHRM on EFB, EP, and EVs. On the one hand, GHRM is found to be a negative predictor of GP. Moreover, factors such as EFB and EVs positively affect EP, but GP negatively affects EP. Furthermore, mediating analysis shows a positive significant mediating effect of EFB and EVs in developing the association between GHRM and EP. On the other hand, GP negatively mediates the positive connection between GHRM and EP. The study overcomes the gaps by providing a robust theoretical framework that integrates the GHRM, EFB, EVs, and GP directly and indirectly towards EP. The study also offers the original contribution by providing empirical facts from Egyptian green hotels.

Does green human resource management enhance employees’ environmental behavior – and if so, what mechanisms drive this process? Utilizing social cognitive theory, this research investigates the impact of green human resource management on environmental performance (i.e., task-related and proactive). Furthermore, green self-efficacy is employed as a mediator, and knowledge-oriented leadership is employed as a moderator in the relationship between green human resource management and environmental performance. A time-lagged strategy was utilized to collect data from two sources for this study. Our research sample included 412 employee-supervisor dyads working in various Chinese hotels. Findings from present research suggest that knowledge-oriented leadership strengthens both the direct and indirect link between green human resource management and environmental performance through self-efficacy. This research offers vital insights for organizations striving to promote sustainability via environmentally sustainable human resource practices and leadership.

China's economy is developing rapidly, and enterprises are paying more and more attention to environmental protection in the process of economic development. However, relatively speaking, the environmental awareness of enterprises and employees needs to be further improved. This paper investigates the impact of green human resource management on environmental performance by questionnaire survey. A total of 372 questionnaires were distributed to front-line employees and human resource supervisors, 357 of which were valid. Using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediating effect test, this paper studies the relationship between green human resource management and environmental performance, and tests the mediating role of employees' work values between green human resource management and enterprise environmental performance. The conclusion of the empirical study has some inspiration for the green human resource management of enterprises, provides some references for the development of relevant theories, and provides practical significance for the green development of enterprises.

This study examines how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices affect Organizational Performance (OP) in Bahrain’s retail sector. The retail industry has high emissions; thus, it is under more and more pressure to implement eco-friendly practices. Although global interest in GHRM is growing, evidence from Gulf countries remains limited, leaving practitioners without region-specific guidance on how green HR initiatives influence firm-level outcomes. To explore this issue, four main GHRM practices, including green selection and recruitment, green training and development, green performance, and green rewards and compensation, were evaluated using a structured bilingual questionnaire (English-Arabic) that experts had reviewed. The data were collected from 416 employees and managers across 30 retail firms in Bahrain and analyzed using SPSS-23, including descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression techniques. The analysis revealed that GHRM practices explain 40.8% of the variance in OP (R2 = 0.408, F = 70.839, p < 0.01). Among them, green rewards (β = 0.211, p < 0.01) and green training (β = 0.162, p < 0.01) had the most substantial positive impacts, followed by green recruitment (β = 0.102, p < 0.05). On the other hand, green performance management did not show statistical significance (β = − 0.077, p = 0.077), which means the necessity for additional contextual analysis. Significantly, 59.2% of the performance variation is not accounted for by the model, which suggests the influence of factors outside the current study’s scope. From a practical perspective, the implications for Bahraini retailers are clear: make green hiring a priority, offering training that focuses on sustainability, and incentive-based systems can significantly enhance employee engagement and organizational performance. Consequently, this provides a competitive advantage in a regional market that is becoming more environmentally aware. The study gives HR leaders and policymakers real-world, evidence-based strategies to integrate sustainability into core business functions. Thus, GHRM is not merely an ethical obligation but a strategic approach to enhancing organizational performance. Retailers can secure long-term competitive benefits through targeted investments in human capital aligned with environmental goals while contributing to national sustainability objectives. Overall, this research offers essential insights by contextualizing GHRM within a high-emissions sector.

Nearly a century and a half of global industrial development has created significant environmental problems in many countries. This requires public attention to environmental or Green issues, including energy conservation, recycling, and renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Among these industries, the hospitality industry has made a positive impact on environmental conservation through reduced energy and water consumption, better use of durable and consumable items, and reduction in the generation of solid and hazardous waste. Therefore, the current research focuses on exploring the mediating role of one affective determinant, i.e., affective affinity for nature, and one cognitive determinant, i.e., awareness of risk to nature. These two factors have been identified as significant independent determinants of pro-environmental commitments. The study used cross-sectional surveys to collect data. The research was carried out through the distribution of questionnaires with a choice of Likert scale answers. The research population is hotel employees in Surakarta with a sample of 120 respondents. Green Human Resource Management has no effect on Task-Related Pro-Environmental Performance. Green Human Resource Management has no effect on the Proactive Related Environmental Pro Performance. Green Human Resource Management has no effect on Environmental Commitment. Environmental Awareness fully mediates the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and Task-Related Pro-Environmental Performance. Environmental Awareness fully mediates the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and Proactive Environmental Pro-Performance. Environmental Awareness fully mediates the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and Environmental Commitment. Serving Leadership does not moderate the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and Task-Related Pro-Environmental Performance.

Green Human Resource Management (HRM) supports promoting and incorporating sustainable development with regard to their resources. Managers and customers actively utilize the limited resources efficiently and effectively to accomplish environment-friendly goals and objectives. The study focuses on investigating the moderating role of diffidence between Green HRM, among eco-friendly behavior and Employee Performance of frontline employees of the hospitality sector. Two hundred ten individuals particapted in the research from hospitality sector with regard to examine green HRM policies of employees along with their influence on consumer buying behvaiour. Frontline employees incorporated the data on HRM performance, eco-friendly behavior, and diffidence. Besides, consumers gave their opinion on consumer buying behavior. The study’s findings revealed that Green HRM, aka Green HRM, directly impacts consumer behavior. In addition to this diffidence moderates the relationship between Green HRM and employee performance and employee eco-friendly behavior. Besides, future studies can explore the clothing and banking sector as the current study was conducted in fast food sector.

This chapter investigates the dynamic interplay between green human resource management (HRM) and organizational outcomes and performance, elucidating the complex pathways through which green HRM influences those outcomes and the three organizational performance, namely environmental, social, and economic performance. Therefore, empirical evidence is examined at an organizational level. Noteworthy findings reveal green HRM's impact green process and product innovation, corporate social responsibility, green supply chain management, among others. By offering insights into green HRM's positive role in organizational outcomes and performance, this research contributes to a nuanced understanding of how green HRM practices can guide firms toward achieving their sustainability objectives.

The relationship between green human resource management (GHRM) and environmental performance (EP) has received little attention in the past, despite the hotel management discipline's mediation analysis being one of the areas examined. To fill this research gap, the study expands upon the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) and social identity theory (SIT). It also goes beyond what has already been written by examining the relationship between environmental performance and green human resource management by examining the roles of Employee Green Commitment (EGC) and Organizational Citizenship Behavior towards the Environment (OCBE). According to a survey conducted on 273 hotel employees, it has been found that GHRM plays a positive and significant role in promoting Organizational Citizenship Behavior towards the Environment (OCBE), Employee Green Commitment (EGC), and environmental performance (EP) of hotels. Additionally, implementing green human resource management can have a considerable and favorable influence on both environmental performance and employees' commitment to eco-friendliness. It was observed that organizational citizenship behavior toward the environment and employee green commitment play a significant role in mediating the relationship between Green human resource management and hotel environmental performance. The data from the survey were analyzed using Smart-PLS 4 which involved conducting validity and reliability tests on the instruments and testing the hypothesized relationships using SEM analysis. Based on this report, it is recommended that HR managers and hotel top management develop green HRM policies to promote sustainability in the hospitality industry.

Currently, sustainable business performance has become the global requirement due to the recent economic disaster, and green measures have been considered the leading solution for it. This situation has gained the attention of recent literature and regulators; thus, the present study examined the green transformational leadership (GTL), human resource management (HRM), and innovation on the sustainable business performance of the manufacturing organizations in China. The moderating impact of perceived organizational support among the association of GTL, green HRM, green innovation, and sustainable business performance of the manufacturing organizations in China was also investigated. The questionnaires method was adopted to collect data, and the smart-PLS was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that GTL, green HRM, and green innovation have a significant and direct association with the sustainable business performance of the manufacturing organizations in China. The outcomes also revealed that organizational support significantly moderates among the nexus of GTL, green HRM, green innovation, and sustainable business performance of the manufacturing organizations in China. The current research provides help to the regulators while formulating policies and guides the new researchers while examining this topic in the future.

Purpose Green or environmental human resource management (HRM) has in recent years attracted much attention from academia and practitioners all over the world. However, a thorough analysis of green or environmental HRM has not been made so far. To address this gap, the present study provides a systematic and comprehensive literature review. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to review Green HRM literature of various scopes, approaches and contexts; to identify different focus areas in the Green HRM literature; and to propose areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach The paper follows a systematic literature review approach. The selected journal articles are categorized on the basis of five focus areas in the Green HRM derived from the extant literature. Findings Research has grown significantly over the past 12 years that has focused on Green HRM. A total of 70 articles were reviewed and most of these articles employed quantitative method and were carried out in developing countries. Based on the five focus areas identified in this literature review, the performance outcome of Green HRM at both the organizational level and individual level received the greatest attention from the researchers. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to a review of academic articles obtainable from online databases, containing the words “Green human resource management”, “Green HRM”, “Green human resource”, “Environmental HRM”, “Green training” and “Environmental training” in the title. Additionally, only papers from high quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other academic sources such as books and conference papers were not included in this study. Originality/value The paper presents a structural overview of 70 peer-reviewed articles published in leading academic journals from 2007 until early 2019. This review provides an increased understanding of the existing state of current research, trends and future research directions in the Green HRM discipline.