Exploring the Potential of Green Human Resource Management for Promoting Environmental Sustainability in The Construction Industry of Developing Countries

Abstract

The concept of sustainability which has been growing in importance over the past two decades. Sustainability is an important issue being focused upon by industry as well as academic circles (Zuo J., and Jin X, 2012). Green human resource management (GHRM) has emerged as a method to address the challenges that different industrial entities encounter in their pursuit of sustainability. GHRM incorporates sustainable practices into human resource management. This study investigated in detail the prospect of application of GHRM in the construction organizations of developing countries to promote resource conservation and environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability drivers (ESDs) and GHRM functions were identified through systematic literature review. Major ESDs are centered around the competency and inclination of employees towards environmental management. It was found that there exists a similitude in the GHRM functions and the environmental sustainability drivers (ESDs). Using the Delphi method, GHRM functions and ESDs were linked together. A detailed questionnaire survey was carried out to validate the effectiveness of GHRM application for incorporating environmental sustainability in the construction organizations. The pareto analysis revealed that the functions of GHRM that have the greatest influence on environmental sustainability in the construction industry of developing countries are employee recruitment, training and development, and performance evaluation. This study developed a conceptual framework integrating the GHRM and ESDs to provide basis for developing pro environmental attitude and commitment in the construction practitioners for developing countries. The framework consisted of fourix GHRM functions combined with eleven ESDs. The proposed framework can be used as a strategic roadmap to pursue environmental sustainability in construction organizations of developing countries.