Green Human Resource Management and Sustainable Employee Behavior: A Qualitative Exploration of HR Practices and Environmental Performance

Abstract

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) has been receiving more and more  attention with organisations trying to incorporate the concept of environmental  sustainability in human resource practices. With the heightening of the climate  change issues and increases in the demands of corporate responsibility, the HR can  also be placed in a position to enable the sustainability of an organization by promoting environmental responsibility among employees. The research paper examines the perceived effect of some of the GHRM practices such as green recruitment, sustainability-oriented training, environmentally oriented performance management, and reward systems on the perceived eco-friendly behaviour of employees in organizations.A qualitative multi-case study was used to study Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices in manufacturing, technology, education and public sector organizations in Nigeria. Purposive sampling was used to interview 18 HR professionals and employees engaged in  sustainability initiatives in semi-structured interviews. The data was complemented  by corporate sustainability reports and HR policy manuals (2022-2025). Thematic  analysis created four themes that include integrating environmental goals in HR 
practices, employee view of green initiatives, implementation barriers, and 
perceived outcomes. Results have shown that eco-friendly behavior is promoted by  leadership support and alignment between HR policies and sustainability goals, but  it is hindered by limited resources, cultural obstacles, and a lack of expertise. In general, the research offers a qualitative understanding of how organizations practice GHRM and what factors could affect their effectiveness in various industries.