Sustainable human resource management and social harm of deviant tourism employees

ABSTRACT

Research on how sustainable human resource management (HRM) can alleviate the social harms of tourism employees is limited. Therefore, this study conceptually examines the influence of sustainable HRM on the social harms of deviant tourism employees by drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives. The findings suggest that social harms of tourism employees are the result of social learning. Additionally, they imitate deviant tourists’ behaviours, and generate social harms for the stakeholders both in and outside the tourism work environment. However, this can be counterbalanced by sustainable HRM practices that shape social learning forces, and directly reduce social harms. Accordingly, our study contributes by developing a multidisciplinary theoretical framework to guide practices and research on critical social issues within the tourism workplace.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainable human resource management
• social learning theory
• deviant behaviour
• social harm
• tourism employees

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alex Anlesinya

Alex Anlesinya (PhD) is a multiple award-winning Researcher and Management Trainer. He is Associate Editor of Review of Business Management (RBGN), and Training Facilitator/Adjunct Lecturer at GIMPA Academy of Leadership and Executive Training. He has consulted for several institutions in Ghana. Alex is a recipient of seven (7) best research paper Awards including the prestigious Emerald Literati Award and overall best student awards and valedictorian. He has authored several peer-reviewed articles in ranked journals and presented his research in top international conferences. Alex researches at the intersection of organization, human resources and sustainability, specifically, talent management, sustainable HRM, decent work, sustainability/CSR strategy, and organization development.

Pattanee Susomrith

Pattanee Susomrith (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. Pattanee is an associate editor of Journal of Management Development and a member of several editorial boards of reputable journals. She has published in leading journals, authored book chapters and conference proceedings. She is also a Western Australian State Councilor of Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI). Her research interests are in human resource management (particularly sustainable HRM, workplace training, learning, development, talent recruitment, HRM in SMEs, and organisational behaviour (innovative work behaviour).