The impact of green HRM on green creativity: mediating role of pro-environmental behaviors and moderating role of ethical leadership style

Abstract

In the aftermath of global warming, organizations are coming under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and generally become more responsible in their practices. To this backdrop, researchers argue that organizational HR practices have significant potential in shaping human behaviors. Therefore, by investigating the employment of a subordinate-supervisor dyad (N = 378 (subordinates), and 141 (supervisors)), this empirical study contributes to the growing literature on Green Human Resource Management (green HRM) and its impacts on employees’ green outcomes. In particular, this study tested a novel model to explore the impact of green HRM on Green Creativity (GC) of employees in mediating the role of Pro-Environmental Behaviors (PEBs) and moderating the role of Ethical Leadership Style (ELS). Data were collected from organizations in the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region of Pakistan. For testing the results of the proposed hypotheses, structural equation modelling technique using SMART PLS 3 was employed. The results indicate that green HRM has a positive impact on employees’ GC. Furthermore, partial mediating role of PEBs was also found. Finally, it was found that the ELS moderates the relationship between green HRM and GC and between green HRM and PEBs. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• Green HRM
• green creativity
• pro-environmental behaviors
• ethical leadership style
• social identity theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.