Towards a working life that sustains - Finnish HR directors' perceptions of socially sustainable human resource management
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Journal Title
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School of Business |
Master's thesis
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Author
Date
2024
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
mib
Language
en
Pages
102 + 6
Series
Abstract
Recent disruptions in the world of work have made sustainability a topical phenomenon for HRM, requiring a change towards more sustainable working life. Though sustainable HRM research has recently increased, a research gap in understanding the social sustainability dimension in HRM remains. The role of HR professionals as promoters of socially sustainable HRM is evident, yet their perspectives on sustainable HRM have largely been neglected in prior research. By interviewing seven Finnish HR directors and analyzing the interviews through thematic analysis, the thesis fills this research gap by studying what socially sustainable HRM means to these individuals and how they define the concept. In this study, socially sustainable HRM was found to consist of four ethical principles and six main characteristics. These ethical principles include openness and transparency, trust and loyalty, humanity and respect, and fairness and justice. The six characteristics consist of 1. work ability, health, and wellbeing, 2. safety, 3. education, learning and development, 4. diversity, equity, and inclusion, 5. communication and feedback, and 6. cooperation and partnerships. Socially sustainable HRM as a concept was not commonly utilized across the participants’ organizations as majority of them utilized an alternative concept or had no concept at all to describe the matter. No participant admitted their organization to have a commonly defined meaning for the concept that would be shared across the organization, though they all said their organizations continuously conduct actions that could be categorized under this concept. The participants characterized socially sustainable HRM as ethical and responsible people management, where long-term perspective, individual capabilities and needs, safety, health, wellbeing, and education and development are considered and promoted, and continuous and transparent communication and feedback culture is fostered. It bases on principles of openness, transparency and trust and treating people respectfully while also guaranteeing fair and equal treatment. It should be present throughout HRM processes, starting from recruitment and ending in offboarding, encompassing everything in between. It also requires cooperation and sustainable partnerships within and outside the organization and besides focusing on the internal organization, it extends beyond organizational boundaries, reaches out to surrounding society, actively contributes to societal matters and bears social responsibility.Description
Thesis advisor
Yli-Kauhaluoma, SariKeywords
socially sustainable HRM, sustainable human resource management, social sustainability, social responsibility, human resource management, HRM, sosiaalisesti kestävä henkilöstöjohtaminen, kestävä henkilöstöjohtaminen
