Exploring the Influence of Green HR Practices on Employees' Environmental Behavior, Mediated by Transformational Leadership and Moderated by Employee Demographics

Abstract

The purpose of this research study is to create a holistic model to examine the antecedent of green HR practices and consequent environmental behavior of employees with the support of social exchange theory and transformational leadership theory. Since the research adopted the Saunders Onion Model for the selection of the research methodology, six hypotheses were developed to analyze the complex interconnections within the variables. Incorporation of these two theories helps in extending the existing knowledge base in view of offering a comprehensive theoretical foundation that explains the effusive link between Green HR practices and effected enhanced employee environments behaviors. In this study, transformational leadership is proposed as a mediator arguing that leaders with transformational characteristics can positively encourage employees to participate in sustainable behavior. Further, the study assumes that employees’ demographic characteristics can act as a moderator because implementing Green HR practices may affect individual characteristics such as age, and level of education, and the firms’ environmental behavior. In this article, the author proposes a new approach using external factors that separate them from previous studies; Environmental Training Program, Green Employee involvement, and Workplace Eco-Policies. These elements are important in determining an organization’s environmental management because they concern directly the organizational employee’s attitude and behavior towards the environment. The second major contribution of this research is the use of Social Exchange Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory as moderators in improving environmental behavior. This theoretical context enables the investigation of the relationships proposed between leadership behaviors and subordinates’ commitment to environmental efforts. Moreover the moderating roles of young age and higher education level are also explored in the study that imply that these demographic factors can enhance the impact of the transformational leadership on environmental behavior. The expected findings of the proposed model will greatly enhance the body of knowledge on Green HR practices formulated to guide organizations seeking to adopt quality Human Resource practices. In doing so, this study makes not only a theoretical contribution but also offers real-world prescriptions for organizations wishing to encourage their employees to become more environmentally sustainable. In conclusion, they point to the importance of a systemic approach for studying the directions of organizational sustainability in the workplace, focusing on management and employees’ participation in attaining environmental objectives. This study model will help fuel subsequent research in this field and improve the overall understanding of ways that Green HR practices may be utilized to encourage better environmental performance by employees.