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Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 194
International Conference on Management, Business, and Technology (ICOMBEST 2021)
Green Human Resource Management and
Organizational Environmental Sustainability During
Covid-19 Pandemic: A Conceptual Framework
1,* 1
Mohammad Noor Khaled M. Alqudah , Yusnita Yusof , Malek Bakheet
Elayan2, Cempaka Paramita3
1
Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia
2
Institute of Public Administration, Business Management Department Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3
Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia
*
Corresponding author. Email: qudah_noor@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This paper concentrate on underlying strategies for improving environmental sustainability, creating awareness
among human resource managers and employees about Green Human Resource Management (GHRM), the
green movement, and the use of natural resources to help organizations foster sustainable growth and safeguard
the health and safety of both staff and customers. The current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how
people operate, and employees execute their organization roles. Through Green Human Resource Management
strategies in the current COVID-19 pandemic, organizations can balance the economic, social, and
environmental goals of organizations directly contributing to improving global recovery from the pandemic.
Information, results, and discussion in this study are based on literature reviews obtained through online
publications. This study shows that the functions and practices of GHRM positively impact environmental
sustainability. During the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are putting immense efforts towards achieving the
level of employee's health and wellbeing. Nonetheless, the study found that GHRM remains relatively new in
organizations due to the lack of documented evidence supporting its functions and practices. The study
recommends that public organizations implement robust policies and strategies that integrate GHRM into their
strategic plans along with adequate management-employee involvement and commitment.
Keywords: Green HRM Concept, Green HRM practices, Green HRM Challenges, Environmental
Sustainability, Covid 19.
1. INTRODUCTION excessive tree cutting, fossil fuel burning, and carbon
monoxide emissions caused by an organization, the
COVID-19 pandemic has significantly led to environment is in a desperate state right now.
changes in how organization staff operates, AGENDA 2030 is a global campaign that encourages
harnessing teleworking strategies and significant world leaders, notably those in developing countries,
workday flexibility. In society and organizations, to set goals to reduce pollution and enhance the
environmental sustainability has become essential. environment [3].
Natural disasters, climate change, and the depletion Sustainability as a concept has been highly
of natural resources have become troubling [1]. As influential on organizational prosperity around the
modern organizations' management focuses on world. A concept that gained its prominence at the
harnessing their employees’ health and wellbeing, Earth Summit of 1992 and its subsequent
achieving increased environmental sustainability is Johannesburg Declaration of 2002, the concept is
essential. According to [2], this entails ensuring the now recognized as the international development
pressure from the governments, stakeholders, agenda [4]-[7]. Global summits and declarations
customers, employees, and competitors. Due to supported national sustainable development policies
Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press International B.V.
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license -http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 158
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 194
[8]-[10]. The link of this concept with the COVID-19 environment for sustainable growth and protection
pandemic is that the best approach in which staff and customers’ health and safety.
organizations manage their HR function is similarly
able to improve environmental sustainability. Green 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Human Resource Management (GHRM) is embedded
in providing a balance between HRM policies, 2.1 Environmental Sustainability
activities, and practices with environmental
sustainability management [11],[12]. GHRM contains Adopting the definition by [24], environmental
environmentally-friendly human resource practices sustainability is the responsibility of conserving
and policies undertaken by organizations to obtain its natural resources and protecting global ecosystems.
fundamental objectives and goals by mitigating This is for supporting the health and wellbeing of the
negative impacts of the environment emerging from employees currently and as a future best practice. It is
the actions and policies by the organizations [13], now worldwide essentially recognizing that staff in
[14]. Embracing environmentally friendly human any firm can improve environmental sustainability
resources requires organizations to commit to [25]. Also, in affirming this, [26] note that the
environmental sustainability by focusing on green mitigation of environmental pollution and climate
practices like reducing waste management, carbon change requires a substantial commitment and
footprint, recycling, producing and using green inclusion of all organizations in different sectors.
products [15], [16]. This mitigation varies based on the organization's
GHRM is a system, practice, and policy that aims characteristics that influence environmental
to make employees in an organization more sustainability, including implementation of
environmentally friendly, business-wise, and environmental practices, drivers, barriers, and
individual-oriented, as well as contributing to the associated performance implications. Pro-
welfare of society and the environment [17]. A firm's environmental initiatives in firms are growing daily
alignment to environmental protection is determined due to the lousy case. The climate variates the
through GHRM's specific practices. It also focuses on scarcity of resources and the destruction of the
the fragility of the ecosystem and the environmental environment [27] irreversibly. Environment
effects of the organization's economic activities [18]. safeguard is now a stand-out trend all around the
As well as improving the overall performance of the world. Many firms are forced to perform
organization, Green HRM also contributes to its environmental protection procedures and policies as
external and internal stakeholders' wellbeing [19]. their concern of every community [28].
GHRM is a source of competitive advantage by Sustainable environments improve environmental
creating a sustainability culture and managing accountability and quality to avert the destruction and
sustainability initiatives [20]. Organizations can reach depletion of the environment. It includes three stages;
environmental strategies and goals incorporating in the first stage, the firm replies to environmental
organizational learning, performance evaluations, job policies and regulations to affect its framework. In
positions, training, recruitment, teamwork, selection, the second stage, the firm put condensation to protect
and organizational culture to environmental issues the environment by reducing pollution and taking
[21]. GHRM pulls attention from practitioners and other related measures. In the third stage,
academicians all over the world. It refers to practices environmental sustainability is ensured by activities,
in organizations that focus on the human side of proactive and voluntary [29].
environmental management to promote Different studies have focused on evaluating
environmental performance [22]. [23] stated that sustainable environment management in the current
despite earning a position in the literature and its COVID-19 pandemic. From a direct point of view,
increased application in many organizations as a [30] noted that the prevalence of environmental
remedy for environmental degradation, GHRM is still issues owing to an increase in anthropogenic
a comparatively new phenomenon in many countries, activities leads to the COVID-19 pandemic. The
particularly in organizations [21]. Based on this study similarly evidenced that the increased COVID-
background information, this conference paper 19 pandemic is a consequence of the increased global
concentrate on underlying strategies for creating population and overexploitation of natural
awareness, enhancing environmental sustainability to environments. From an indirect context, [31]
HR managers and staff about GHRM, utilization of highlighted the existing United Nations Sustainable
natural resources, and the green movement to help Development Goals (SDGs) comprised of 17 agendas
organizations retain and maintain the natural focusing on 169 targets and used in all countries and
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Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 194
regions globally. In this regard, [32] notes that the feasible by driving environmental management
COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the initiatives.
achievement of the SDGs. As a result, it has
increased the approach towards developing 2.3 Green HRM Practices
appropriate policy choices and investments in
government, social protection, green economy, and According to [41], HRM focuses on selecting,
digitization. rewarding, and training employees for their positive
attitudes and behavior toward protecting the
2.2 Green HRM Concept environment to generate an environmental-friendly
culture. The scope and nature of GHRM are based on
In recent years, the importance of Green HRM in extending HRM practices to green concerns. These
organizations has grown manifold as environmental include Green Performance Management (GPM),
management practices gain in popularity. The Green Recruitment and Selection (GRS), Green
meaning of Green HRM can best be explained by its Training and Development (GTD), Green Employees
emphasis on eco-friendly human resource practices. Participation and Engagement (GEPE), Green Human
These practices can help organizations reduce their Resource Planning (GHRP), Green Reward
carbon footprints. These may contain less resource Management (GRM), etc. [34]. [42] suggests that
wastage, improved work attitudes, reduced costs, and GHRM is the best paradigm for fixing environmental
improved employee performance. HRM practices and problems within organizations. GHRM is depicted by
policies focused on making an organization more [43] as the alignment of HRM practices such as
environmentally friendly are considered Green HRM human resource planning, performance management,
[33], [34]. HRM is the practice of ensuring training, recruitment and selection, rewards, and
organizational resources are utilized effectively and compensation to the overall organizational green
efficiently [35], [36], [37]. Also, GHRM involves the management mission and goals. This result is
systematic, planned alignment of typical HRM supported by [44] that highlighted the need for green
practices with the organization's environmental goals human resource management in taking part in the
[12]. critical function in organizations, which entails their
[38] Noted that the Green HRM concept assumption, management philosophy, HR policies
incorporates an environment-friendly HR and practices, training the employees, and
commencement and initiatives for sustainable use of implementation of legislation on environment safety.
resources, leading to increased efficiency, limited 2.3.1 Green Recruitment and Selection
wastages, and improvement in job-related attitudes.
This green concept improves work/private life, Green recruitment and selection involve attracting
reduces costs, improves employee performance and and hiring candidates who conform to an
retention. Besides that, Green HRM practices can organization's environmental management systems
reduce the employee's carbon footprints. By regarding knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors
establishing a conceptual framework of the Green [45]. It is challenging to find talented, creative, and
HRM concept, [39] identify the process as the best innovative candidates, increase recruitment
practice in applying relevant policies in HRM, possibilities and hire quality employees [17]. To
practices, and systems in an entity that ensures green guarantee workplace environmental sustainability,
employees for individual gain, teams, societies, firms must design greenways of hiring and attracting
natural environment, and organizations. This result is talented staff. This endeavor, therefore, requires that
affirmed by [40], which define HRM policies and recruitment and selection processes take into account
practices for individuals, teams, societies, natural the long-term demand of integrating firm
environments, and organizations. In addition, this is environment culture with GRS processes. Eventually,
affirmed in [39] evidenced that a launch of green the job description should consider health and safety
HRM policies and investment in green technology tasks and other related functions impacting the
mushroom amongst various business professionals, environment. In addition, organizations' green goals
banking sectors, hospitals, and academic institutions. should be tailored to match their potential candidates'
Owing to the complexities linked with the issue of compatibility. A comprehensive green induction
environmental sustainability, this has lead to an program for selected candidates is part of the
increase in the scope of concerns by corporate, recruitment process, which includes environmental
governments/semi-governments, and consumers. As sustainability information and commitment to the
evidence, the HRM activities reinforce and are
organization's green goals. Using “green” methods
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Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 194
for recruitment, such as online means and limited environmental issues such as safety, energy, waste
paper usage during recruitment, and measuring green management, and recycling. Additionally, training
attitudes during selection, are practices that are taken and development extend more commitment to
into account when recruiting and selecting green environmental management when grown to newly
candidates [46]. Individual’s green aptitudes are vital employed employees in the form of induction. During
for pro-environmental performance [47]. Therefore, it the induction program, trainees should be informed of
is worth considering individuals who value the the policies and procedures relating to green
environment and follow basic eco-friendly activities management in advance.
such as recycling, carpooling, and energy Good environmental performance can be achieved
conservation. Conversely, candidates who care about through making environmental awareness among
the environment will be attracted to green staff at all levels. As a result, it is essential to provide
organizations branded a "green employer" [48]. environmental education to change employees'
2.3.2 Green Performance Management behavior and attitude. [35], [51] emphasized
providing such training to employees that can
To maintain environmental sustainability, green encourage recycling and waste management habits
audits, information systems, and performance among them. Furthermore, training employees to
management must be established. GPM refers to produce an energy-efficiency analysis of
issues related to organizational policies and workstations, executing job rotation to develop future
environmental management [17]. Organizations can green managers, and developing their green-related
only sustain the environment if performance skills might be considered effective green training
evaluation is directly linked to green tasks, goals, and and development practices [17].
job descriptions [17], [37]. To integrate 2.3.4 Green Rewards and Compensation
environmental management concerns with green
tasks, the staff and management must be empowered, Environmental sustainability can only be realized
engaged, and committed to a green environment. when integrated with GHRM practices; it requires
Engagement and empowerment begin when senior motivated and committed employees. Organizations
leaders commit to targets, environmental must take compensation and reward as critical
management, performance measures, and activities. elements for reinforcing their employees' positive
Furthermore, managers' commitment to performance green attitudes and behaviors before anything else.
appraisals is significant when their dedication and According to [33], the best way to achieve green
responsiveness align with environmental behavior is by instituting a compensation package
management activities. Based on research done by dynamically based on an employee's behavior,
[49] managers can encourage as much employee especially for those who exhibit environmental-
engagement in green management as possible when friendly behavior. In addition, [36] argues that
they give employees the freedom to share their ideas compensation packages should also be tailored to
at the performance appraisal meeting. benefit employees with green skill achievement and
2.3.3 Green Training and Development acquisition. Tailoring packages to reward green skill
acquisition; using non-monetary and monetary-based
Environmental sustainability contains the environmental management rewards, such as
development of robust systems and policies having bonuses, gifts, cash premiums, and sabbaticals;
employee training at all levels of the organization. linking green suggestion projects to reward systems
T&D programs for employees should deliberately are some of the practices covered under the GRC
include environmental management aspects. During a system [52]. Reducing carbon footprints and green
Training Needs Analysis, the human resource rewarding attitudes in the workplace should be
department should consider what skills and emphasized. This effort can be supposed as a possible
knowledge gap an employee with an environmental tool for supporting environmental activities in firms
focus has to make an informed decision regarding [15].
their environmental training. As part of employee 2.3.5 Green Employee Relations
training and development programs, employees
should attend seminars and workshops on It is the philosophy of employee relations to
environmental management to change their involve employees in the decision functions and
protection and behavior in the environment [50]. processes of the organization. The involvement and
Employee training programs should also cover
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