Employee Pro-environmental Behaviour Research Articles

Green Employee Training—A Remedy for Environmental Behaviour: The Case of Public Universities in Kenya

The global ecosystem is fast deteriorating due to the devastating effects of climate change resulting from humanity’s behaviour towards the environment. Increasing resource scarcity, loss of biodiversity and global warming with disastrous effects have become prevalent. Scientists unanimously blame anthropogenic (human) actions for the crisis and claim that the power to mitigate and preserve the environment lies within human behaviour change. Organizations are under pressure to act since they contribute significantly to climate change through their operations, products and services. By examining the influence of green employee training (GET) on employee pro-environmental behaviour (EPEB), the study sought to investigate whether environmental training could influence eco-friendly behaviour in employees of public universities in Kenya. A measurement model based on the Green Five taxonomy was developed and employed for the study. The model measured an array of employee green behaviours: transforming, conserving, avoiding harm, influencing others and taking initiative. A list of 31 public chartered universities accredited by the Commission for University Education in Kenya constituted the sampling frame, where a sample of 123 respondents was drawn from three purposively selected universities. The study adopted a correlational research design and employed mixed research techniques, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. An online questionnaire was used to collect primary data from respondents. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Correlational analysis revealed a significant, positive correlation between GET and EPEB, indicating a strong, positive linear relationship between the predictor and response variables. ANOVA results revealed that green employee training significantly and positively predicts employee pro-environmental behaviour. Keywords: Climate Change, Green Employee Training, Green Five taxonomy, Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour.

Incentivizing Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Harnessing the Potential of Green Rewards

The global ecosystem is experiencing swift degradation as a result of climate change propelled by human actions. This degradation has given rise to resource scarcity, a decline in biodiversity, and global warming. There is scientific consensus that climate change is anthropogenic (caused by humans) and that the power to mitigate it lies in human behaviour change. As the overseer of human resources in every organisation, the HRM function is facing mounting pressure to align its practices with environmental management in order to effectively address and reduce the organisation's carbon footprint. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the influence of green employee rewards on employee pro-environmental behaviour in public universities in Kenya. The study developed a measurement model based on the Green Five Taxonomy to evaluate diverse employee green behaviours. It utilised multi-stage sampling, where the purposive sampling technique was used to select three public universities that embraced green HRM practices, followed by stratified random sampling to draw 123 participants from three strata: top management, middle-level management, and others (teaching and non-teaching). The research employed a correlational design, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, with data collected through online questionnaires. Results revealed a moderately strong, positive correlation between green employee rewards and employee pro-environmental behaviour (r =.545, p<.01), indicating a significant, positive link between the two. Additionally, ANOVA results showed that green employee rewards significantly and positively predict pro-environmental behaviour among employees (F (1, 88) = 37.126, p<.001). The study concluded that green employee rewards have a notable and positive influence on employee pro-environmental behaviour. However, it identified gaps in acknowledging and incentivizing environmental efforts among employees. Nonetheless, respondents still exhibited significant pro-environmental behaviour, even in the absence of explicit green rewards, an indication of employees' private green activism rooted in intrinsic motivation. The study made key recommendations among them: cash incentives, eco awards, eco-sponsorships, green recognition boards, and sustainable branded corporate gifts to nurture a sustainability culture.

Hotels’ green leadership and employee pro-environmental behaviour, the role of value congruence and moral consciousness: evidence from symmetrical and asymmetrical approaches

The study uses person-organisation fit and norm activation theory to develop conceptual models to clarify the green leadership (GL) non-homogenous effect on employee pro-environmental behavior (PEB) in the hospitality industry. Two psychosocial antecedents, value congruence (VC) and moral consciousness (MC) were the mediators in elucidating the unexplained variations between GL and employees’ PEB outcomes. The models were tested using partial least square-structural equation modeling to explain the unidimensional effect and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to clarify the diverse causal configurations sufficient to predict hotel workers’ PEB. The study collected data from managers and employees in the Ghanaian hotel industry. The study findings strengthen the interactive role MC plays in employee behavioral outcomes and confirm its importance in stimulating PEB among employees in the hospitality sector. Results from the fsQCA affirm that solely using unifinality approaches for GL and PEB studies may be inadequate to provide a complete understanding of a proposed model. With the unifinality analysis, MC constituted the only variable mediating the GL and PEB relationship. Under the fsQCA, VC and MC became sufficient conditions underpinning GL’s impact on employees’ PEB. The study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.

Two decades of workplace ecological behaviour: a systematic literature review

PurposeThis research offered a systematic and comprehensive literature review in analysing current studies on employee ecological behaviour (EEB) strategies and settings to determine various emphasised workplace ecological behaviour areas and contribute a precise mapping for future research.Design/methodology/approachThis systematic literature review method involved 106 peer-reviewed articles published in reputable academic journals (between 2000 and the first quarter of 2021). This study was confined to a review of empirical papers derived from digital databases encompassing the terms ‘Employee green behaviour’, ‘Green behaviour at workplace’, ‘Employee ecological behaviour’, ‘Employee Pro-environmental behaviour’ and ‘Pro-environmental behaviour at workplace’ in the titles.FindingsThis study identified relevant journal articles (classified as EEB at work) from the current body of knowledge. Notably, much emphasis was identified on EEB over the past two decades. Overall, most studies employing quantitative approaches in both developed and emerging nations. Notably, ecological behaviour application garnered the most significant attention from scholars among the four focus areas in the literature review: (i) EEB concepts, models, or reviews, (ii) EEB application, (iii) EEB determinants and (iv) EEB outcomes.Practical implicationsSignificant literature gaps indicate this field to be a relatively novel phenomenon. Thus, rigorous research on the topic proves necessary to develop a holistic understanding of the subject area.Originality/valueThis study expands the current body of knowledge by providing the first comprehensive systematic review on EEB themes, methods, applications, determinants, contextual focus, outcomes and recommending future research agenda.

Green Management and Sustainable Performance of Small- and Medium-Sized Hospitality Businesses: Moderating the Role of an Employee's Pro-Environmental Behaviour.

As green management practices (GMPs) matter not only for improving the organizations' tribble line performance (environmental, economic, and social) but also can sustain a competitive advantage. Since the tourism and hospitality industry is subject to environmental expectations from visitors, governments, and the community, it is vital to understand what motivates GMPs to overcome environmental obstacles and satisfy those demands. However, the current literature fails to comprehensively justify how small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) tackle green management difficulties when implementing their plans, even though these SMEs could be a leading contributor to environmental concerns. Although many scholars assert that employees' pro-environmental behaviours are decisive in boosting efforts of green management to improve corporate sustainable performance, only limited studies probed the importance of employees' pro-environmental behaviours in SMEs in developing countries. To fill this research gap, the data was gathered from 304 small- and medium-sized hotels and travel agency middle managers using a self-administered survey approach. The collected data was analysed using the Smart PLS-structural equation modelling technique. The PLS-SEM results demonstrated that GMPs can improve environmental, economic, and social performance and these relationships can be strengthened through the moderating effects of employees' pro-environmental behaviour. The study findings revealed that small- and medium-sized hospitality businesses should focus on creating a culture of environmental stewardship and actively involve employees in green initiatives to enhance sustainable performance. The study is important as it helps to understand the role of employee pro-environmental behaviour in green management and sustainable performance in small- and medium-sized hospitality businesses and can help the industry to adopt more sustainable practices. Several theoretical and practical implications were discussed and opportunities for further research were elaborated.

The impact of individual motivation on employee voluntary pro-environmental behaviours: the motivation towards the environment of Polish employees

PurposeEnvironmental management researchers stress the need to study the determinants of employee pro-environmental behaviour in different cultural settings. This study focusses on employee voluntary pro-environmental behaviours in Poland. It aims (1) to examine the scope of employee green behaviours in the private and public sphere and (2) to explore the relationship between individual motivation and pro-environmental behaviours.Design/methodology/approachSelf-administered questionnaire was used for collecting data from 325 Polish employees. A structural equation modelling was applied to estimate the effects of individual motivation on pro-environmental behaviours in both private and public sphere. The psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Motivation Toward the Environment Scale based on self-determination theory were checked beforehand.FindingsPolish employees mainly engage in private-sphere pro-environmental behaviours. The engagement of employees in green behaviours is driven by autonomous motivation. Intrinsic motivation is a more important driver in the case of private-sphere pro-environmental behaviours; integrated regulation in the public sphere. The relationship between controlled motivation and employee pro-environmental behaviours in both spheres is unclear.Research limitations/implicationsAs the data were gathered amongst Polish employees, the proposed model may be applied in culture-specific conditions in Poland.Originality/valueThis paper explores the extent to which individual motivation may foster pro-environmental behaviour of employees. Moreover, it offers the validation of the Polish version of the Motivation Toward the Environment Scale.

Linking green HRM practices to environmental performance through pro-environment behaviour in the information technology sector

PurposeExisting literature acknowledges the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in shaping employees’ pro-environmental behaviour and environmental performance. However, limited studies have investigated the specific impacts of GHRM practices on pro-environmental behaviour from the employees’ perspectives. This study aims to conceptualise GHRM practices as internal resources that can be used to stimulate employee pro-environmental information technology (IT) behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe hypothesised relationships were tested with the aid of partial least square path modelling of data collected from 333 IT professionals in ISO 14001 companies in Malaysia.FindingsThe results suggest that green training and development, performance management and empowerment and participation are essential in stimulating pro-environmental IT behaviour. Besides, the mediating effects of pro-environmental IT behaviour were significant for the impacts of green training and development, performance management and green empowerment and participation on environmental IT performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe results indicate that GHRM practices are significant predictors of environmental IT performance, but training and development could be counter-productive to performance unless it stimulates employees’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviour.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the resource-based view of HRM by examining GHRM practices as organisational resources for stimulating employee pro-environmental IT behaviour to support environmental IT performance.

A Waste Management Behavioural Framework of Singapore’s Food Manufacturing Industry using Factor Analysis

There has been a great deal of research interest in applying industrial symbiosis in the food manufacturing industry as part of the industry-wide shift towards sustainable manufacturing. However, an evaluation of its participation rates first requires an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence the manufacturers’ waste management behaviours and decision-making process. This paper attempts to propose a comprehensive waste management behavioural framework for the food manufacturing industry by building on the works of previous waste management behavioural studies, most notably Young et al.’s work on employee pro-environmental behaviour. The proposed framework was validated through an exploratory survey conducted on a representative group of waste managers from Singapore’s food manufacturing industry. Using exploratory factor analysis, we identified Intention, Perceived Moral Obligation, Company Structure, and Situational Barriers to be the most significant factors influencing the waste manager’s waste management decisions. Based on these results, several policy recommendations were proposed which focus on the education of industrial symbiosis to the leaders of the organisation. The findings from this paper will provide valuable insights into the manufacturer’s waste management decision-making process, as well as a more human-centric framework for the conduct of future industrial symbiosis studies in the food manufacturing industry.

Linking Islamic Work Ethics and Pro-Environmental Behaviour: A Systematic Review

Preserving the environment to achieve organizational sustainability only can be done through changing the behaviour of employee to pro-environmental behaviour that the problems of environmental degradation can be addressed. However, the solution to fostering employee pro-environmental behaviour (EPEB) remain unsolved because most of the previous research have been contemplated in both private sphere and general society, but rarely in work setting. Even though many theories has been used by several researchers in examining pro-environmental behaviour in workplace, the appropriate antecedents that able to lead towards workplace practicing environmental behaviour still lacking. Parallel to this, Islam play an important role in preserving the environment as what has stated in Islamic thought, but the majority of studies which express the relationship between individual and organizational variables still focus on Western context, which ignored the important role of Islamic work ethics (IWE). Therefore, this study would integrate the role of IWE in fostering EPEB. This study also examined the relationship between IWE and EPEB based on systematic review of previous literature in the context of IWE and EPEB.

Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour: A Systematic Review and Suggestions for Future Research

Changing behaviour towards pro-environment will not only can contribute towards organization sustainability but also will help to prevent further environment destruction. However, empirical research on developing model or solution to foster employee pro-environmental behaviour in workplace is still lacking. Therefore, this paper examines existing literature pertaining employee pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace from year 2008 to 2017 that (1) discussed individuals’ pro-environmental behaviour at workplace, (2) identified variables and antecedence that lead to pro-environmental behaviour and (3) theories used towards this behaviour. This paper also provides suggestions for future research to researchers that interested in this research topic. Based on information gathered in this paper, the role of emotion and values of employee would encourage their decision to engage in various types of pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace and provide important implications for organization sustainability.

Linking Emotional Intelligence with Employee Pro-Environmental Behavior

Changing behaviour towards pro-environment will not only can contribute towards organization sustainability but also will help to prevent further environment destruction. However, empirical research on developing model or solution to foster employee pro-environmental behaviour in workplace is still lacking. Therefore, this paper examines existing literature pertaining employee pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace from year 2008 to 2017 that (1) discussed individuals’ pro-environmental behaviour at workplace, (2) identified variables and antecedence that lead to pro-environmental behaviour and (3) theories used towards this behaviour. Several researches suggested the anticipated role of emotion in Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) might strengthen the behavioural predictability. Addressing this particular gap in this literature, this paper examines existing literature pertaining emotional intelligence that contribute towards behavioural formation. In particular, this paper discusses the significant role of emotional intelligence in TPB construct that can lead towards fostering employee pro-environmental behaviour.

Fostering Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour: Does Emotional Intelligence Matters?

Although theories and researches on pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace has generated high expectations and promising findings, the problem related to environmental preservation in organization remain unsolved. Several researches suggested the anticipated role of emotion in Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) might strengthen the behavioural predictability. Addressing this particular gap in this literature, this paper examines existing literature pertaining emotional intelligence that contribute towards behavioural formation. In particular, this paper discusses the significant role of emotional intelligence in TPB construct that can lead towards fostering employee pro-environmental behaviour.

Green organizational climates and employee pro-environmental behaviour in the hotel industry

ABSTRACT This paper adopts a multilevel approach and uses hierarchical-level modelling, to explore the mechanisms that underlie organizational citizenship behaviour for the environment (OCBE) in four- and five-star hotels in Poland. It contributes both to organizational climate research and the organizational greening literature. More specifically, it examines the direct effects of green organizational climate (GOC) on OCBE, as well as its moderating effects on the relationships between individual factors and OCBE. The results indicate that GOC had a direct impact on OCBE and that it had a significant moderating effect on the relationships between personal environmental values and OCBE, and between affective organizational commitment and OCBE. It also emerged that employee values and commitment were positively related to OCBE, and that employees’ engagement in extra-role green activities was equally explained by individual- and hotel-level factors. However, we found that in most hotels, there were weak GOC, which implies lack of organizational emphasis on green practices. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings, and make the case for the adoption of the multilevel approach for exploring employee involvement in organizational pro-environmental action. A series of key managerial implications are listed, explained and justified.