Examining the Effects of Sustainable HRM on Work Wellbeing: The Role of Voice Behaviour and Trust in Management

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to understand the effect of sustainable human resource management (SUHRM) practices on employee work wellbeing (WWB). By drawing on the self-determination theory and social identity theory, this study explores the sequential mediation effect of voice behaviour and trust in management in the association between SUHRM and employee WWB.

Method: The study, which is conducted in the context of the Indian information technology (IT) industry, is quantitative in nature and employs a descriptive research design. The data for the study are collected using a cross-sectional survey conducted among the managerial workforce of the top 10 IT companies in India. The study employs IBM SPSS 22 along with the Hayes’ PROCESS module to investigate the mediation effects.

Findings: The core findings support the theoretical claims that SUHRM positively influences employee WWB. The study also reveals that trust in management and voice behaviour acts as sequential mediators in the relationship between SUHRM and employee WWB.

Originality: This is one of the first studies to validate the individual consequences of SUHRM empirically. Besides, studying the effect of SUHRM on employees’ WWB contributes to the literature on wellbeing.

Implications: By explaining the relationship between SUHRM, trust in management, voice behaviour, and workplace wellbeing, the current study contributes to the literature on HRM, organisational behaviour, and environmental management. SUHRM can improve the employee workplace wellbeing, which might mitigate the turnover rate, a major problem daunting the IT industries. Thus, the study emphasises the importance of SUHRM in affecting employee behaviours and has important implications for HR practitioners and scholars.

Citation

Prince, R., Vihari, N.S. and Rao, M.K. (2022), "Examining the Effects of Sustainable HRM on Work Wellbeing: The Role of Voice Behaviour and Trust in Management", Grima, S., Özen, E. and Romānova, I. (Ed.) Managing Risk and Decision Making in Times of Economic Distress, Part B (Contemporary Studies in Economic and Financial Analysis, Vol. 108B), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 159-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1569-37592022000108B039