Impact of green human resource management and employee behavior on environmental performance

Abstract

The increasing urgency of environmental sustainability has prompted organizations newlineto adopt Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices aimed at newlineenhancing environmental performance (EP). This study investigates the impact of newlineGHRM practices on environmental performance in the context of Indian newlinemanufacturing industries, examining the mediating role of Employee Green newlineBehavior (EGB) and the moderating effects of gender and education. Drawing on newlinesocial exchange theory and the theory of planned behavior, the study posits that newlineGHRM initiatives such as green recruitment, training, appraisal, and rewards foster newlineenvironmentally responsible behaviors among employees, which in turn enhance newlineorganizational environmental outcomes. The research findings reveal that EGB newlinesignificantly mediates the relationship between GHRM practices and EP, indicating newlinethat employee behaviors are a crucial link in translating green policies into tangible newlineenvironmental gains. Manufacturing industries are significant contributors to newlineenvironmental degradation due to their intensive resource usage and waste newlinegeneration. While technological solutions and regulatory compliance have been newlineprioritized to address environmental challenges, the impact of employee behavior on newlineEP is often underemphasized. However, in many manufacturing firms, there is a lack newlineof awareness, motivation, or organizational support to promote such behavior. newlineMoreover, the connection between individual green actions and measurable newlineenvironmental performance remains inadequately explored, particularly in industrial newlinesettings where operational demands often overshadow sustainability goals. newline