Abstract
The most recent developments in the field of sustainability science and the emergence of a psychology of sustainability and sustainable development have contributed to collect evidences about the fact that modern organizations need healthy and motivated employees to survive and to prosper within this fast-moving scenario. In this vein, a confirmation to these evidences came from the abundant research on HEalthy and Resilient Organizations (HERO), showing that when organizations make systematic, planned, and proactive efforts to improve employees’ subjective resources then organizational processes and outcomes benefit in turn. Moving forward from these premises, the present study aimed to explore these assumptions within the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), investigating the relationships among the organizational practices, employees’ subjective resources, and organizational behaviors. Two hundred and thirty-six participants working in SMEs located in the south of Italy took part. They were invited to fill in a questionnaire investigating their perception of organizational resources and practices (autonomy, leadership, communication, organizational mindfulness, and commitment to resilience), of their individual resources (work engagement and psychological capital), and finally, of some organizational outcomes (extra-role behavior). Results showed that psychological capital was a significant mediator of the relationship between employees’ perception of the organizational resources and practices and extra-role behaviors. Concrete implications of these conclusions in terms of human resource management (HRM) are discussed together with limitations of the study and future developments.
Highlights
The rapid cultural, social, and economic changes that have recently invested the labor market, as well as the challenges brought about by global competition, are pushing organizations to rethink their strategies, processes, and practices, and to consider human capital as the main intangible asset that could concretely make a difference.These evidences have been further remarked on in the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development that is an emerging transdisciplinary research area in the field of sustainability science aiming at integrating psychology within the analysis of sustainable development processes [1,2,3]
“healthy people make healthy organizations” [9,10,11,12]: If organizations choose to invest in human resource management practices that are aimed at establishing and cultivating a positive P/O (Person/Organization) fit based on mutual trust and acknowledgement, this effort will probably result in a competitive advantage for them, as those employees who are more engaged and satisfied with their job will be more likely to be more productive and efficient [13,14,15,16]
This measure encompasses 24 items that concretely refer to a positive psychological state featured by optimism (e.g., “I believe that all the problems occurring at work always have a bright side”), hope (e.g., “I have several ways to accomplish the work goal”), self-efficacy (e.g., “I am confident in my performance that I can work under pressure and challenging circumstances”) and resilience (e.g., “ too much responsibility at work makes me awkward, I can get through to work successfully”)
Summary
The rapid cultural, social, and economic changes that have recently invested the labor market, as well as the challenges brought about by global competition, are pushing organizations to rethink their strategies, processes, and practices, and to consider human capital as the main intangible asset that could concretely make a difference. HERO organizations can be distinguished from more traditional, and we may say “toxic” organizations, because of three specific features Because they constantly strive to implement “healthy organizational resources and practices”, aimed at improving the work environment at the task (e.g., autonomy), interpersonal (e.g., transformational leadership styles), and organizational (e.g., Human Resources—HR—practices) levels, especially during times of turbulence and change [15,33,34,35]. In relation to the dimension referred to as “healthy employees’ resources”, the original model proposed to assess the cognitive and effective resources that employees invest in their work experience and that could be significantly influenced by the job resources afforded by the organization, impacting on their performance This dimension was measured through mental and emotional competencies, efficacy beliefs, trust, emotions, work engagement and resilience. Aims of the Study drawing from these assumptions, the main aim of the study was to explore the relatiTohneshreipfobree,twdreaewn itnhge “frhoemaltthhyesreesaosusrucmespatniodnps,ratchteicems”ai(nauatiomnoomf yth, ecosmtumduynwicaastioton,elxeapdloerreshtihpe, orerlgaatnioinzasthiiopnabletmwienednfuthlnee“shse, aalnthdy orersgoaunrizceastioannadlpcroamctmiceitsm” e(anut totonormesyil,iceonmcem) uasniacanttieocne,dleenatdeorfshthipe, morogdaneli,za“thioeanlatlhmy ienmdpfulolnyeesess,’arnedsoourrgcaensi”za(wtioonrakl ecnogmamgeitmmeennttatnodrepsislyiecnhcoel)oagsicaanltceacpediteanl)t aosf tmheedmiaotdoersl, “ohfetahlethmy oedmepl,loaynedes“’hreeasoltuhryceosr”ga(wniozraktioennaglagoeumtceonmteasn”d(epxstyrach-roolloegbiceahlacvaipoirt)ali)naas msaemdpialetoorsf oSfMthEes wmoordkeelr, saninds“ohuetahltohfyItoarlgya.nMizoarteiosnpaelcoifuictcaollmy,etsh”e(setxutrday-raotlteembephtaevdiotor)pinroapsoasme tphlee ionftSegMraEtsiownoorkf esrosmine isnoduitchaotofrIstafloyr. eMacohreosfptehceifithcarelley,dtihmeesntusidoynsatatesmshpotwedntobypFroigpuorsee 2th. e integration of some indicators for each of the three dimensions as shown by Figure 2
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